The Diary of the Otaku Me
by ringosatou17
Summary: Gakuen!Hetalia AU. Kiku Honda is a straight-laced, no-nonsense type of guy. So what would you expect him to write in his diary? Nothing interesting? Nah, you're wrong. And it gets more interesting when his evil twin is thrown into the mix. Temp. HIATUS.
1. Osoreirimasu, Sumimasen

**A/N: Welcome to my fanfic! This is a rather unusual idea, I presume, to write this story in Kiku's point of view. Anyways, I got inspired by seeing the trailer of Hetalia Portable! I want to have one too! They should release an English version! (Don't you know how I want to interact with Kiku, even in his RPG world at least?) Anyways, while we wait if this wish will come true, try this story. I beta'd it myself, so review about any detail you want to point out. No flaming, please.**

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><p><em>Month 1. April.<em>

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><p><em>恐れ入ります、すみません<em>  
><strong><em>Osoreirimasu, Sumimasen<em>**

_Day 1. Monday._

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><p><em>Time<em>: 9:12 am.

It was the first day of the school year at World W Academy, and I must say that it's a fine April morning. This day is just right - not too hot, and the sun is always shining.

I'm currently writing this on the back pages of my English Language notebook, to be transferred to my actual diary later. Maybe this entry-writing is a temporary shelter for me, I dunno. Especially with that sensei's boring lectures about her this year's lesson plan. I'd think that third-period English would be more interesting if the teacher would teach properly. And now she's asking us to do a very boring essay about our summer vacation. Great.

I stowed the notebook in my bag and wrote my name hastily on the top of a haphazardly-torn piece of pad paper when I saw our year representative, Feliciano Vargas, approaching. That Vargas guy topped the election for the year representative of our batch. I don't know, but I've got the feeling that the other guys just want him to bear the responsibility so they pushed off all the votes on him. I'm now just saying this based on my opinions, so please excuse me. Also, on a slightly different topic, Feliciano-kun is actually younger than me by a year even if we are batch mates, since he started attending school one year earlier than was customary.

Feliciano took his seat beside mine. Then, quietly, he said to no one in particular, "I wish the bell rings soon..."

"I second the motion, Feliciano," a voice behind us said wistfully. I turned and saw, cross-legged on his chair, Alfred F. Jones, the black sheep of the class. He looked positively annoyed. "And I'm wondering if the cafeteria will serve better burgers than last year's. I'm beat."

I ventured to comment, "I think it's because Alfred-san is already good at this subject, that's why you feel bored and tired."

"That's right, in a way. My older brother in the higher level tutors me a lot about this stuff." Alfred sighed and sat back on his chair. "I'm hungry..."

At that moment, the bell thankfully rang, so I scooped up my bag, put my finished essay on top of the pile of papers sitting on the teacher's desk, then exited the English Language room. There's a separate laboratory for oral activities, but I guess we won't be using it until the middle of the school year.

I ran into Arthur Kirkland, a senpai (one year higher than me, to be specific). He gave me a really huge grin when he saw my face.

"Hey, it's you, Kiku Honda, correct?" he said rather a tad too enthusiastically. I felt nervous already.

"Yes," I confirmed. "What does Kirkland-senpai want to talk to me about?"

"Hey, you're so formal as always. I just want to invite you to be a staff writer of the Academy's newsletter. Ludwig told me that you've got quite a head for remembering facts. I mean, you're one of the top students after all..."

"Ludwig-san said that?" I was surprised, but in a pleasant way. "I'm quite honored, since Ludwig-san's never been comfortable with compliments before..."

"Ahh, sure, sure," Arthur said, running a hand through his spiky hair. "Just, um, give the staff admission test for the newsletter a shot. I mean, you have nothing to lose, after all, if you do show up to take the test later."

"Um, I'll try?" I said tentatively.

"That'll be swell. Look, it's right after classes, in the English class room. Don't forget a pen and some paper, okay? Well, got to dash off. I'll just see you there in the admission exam, eh, Honda?" Arthur gave a little wave, and was gone amid a torrent of students.

I sighed, shouldered my bag, and went on the way to the canteen. I sure hope that they have pickles on sale, or it'll really ruin my perfectly good morning...

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><p>The rest of the day passed without incident, except maybe for the Biology class, where the teacher immediately gave us a quiz. He told us that it was to measure what we know about the subject, but I rather thought that predicting the alleles of a hybrid flower that has a white flower and a red flower as its parents is not really what you'd classify under Biology 101. Or maybe your school has genetics as a first lesson in your biology classes? Feel free to tell me. I'm just wondering.<p>

And sorry if I was too talkative. It's just that, in a peculiar way, I can properly express myself in words that I otherwise couldn't have voiced out.

Er, it'll be great to be a staff writer of the school's newsletter, but the truth was, I've never been much confident about my skills as an interesting writer. Sure, I can write (since you're reading what I'm writing just now. That means I can write, right? Sorry, that was a pun.), but originally, I just wrote to please myself. I never really considered myself to be a good writer in any way. I can probably make a tanka poem a bit more interesting by making it more flowery, but other than that, I, Kiku Honda, is a stoic, humorless diarist who happens to be fond of using onomatopoeias in sentences. Sorry, I just meant that I like to use sound-words in sentences. Got carried away. Sorry again.

When the dismissal bell rang, I proceeded cautiously to the English room, my face a careful blank as a raging battle was being fought in my mind - should I apply for the newsletter, or back off and spend the rest if the day in my dorm room? But since it's the first day and I have nothing to do except to listen to this year's kohai to introduce themselves to me, I promptly decided upon the first option.

The exam was really just practical, a series of essay-type questions that anybody can answer. The tricky part is to arrange your ideas in such a way that will interest your readers (in this case, the examiners). I was able to finish the test second only to Ludwig-san, who was a batch mate (although we have different sections) and who has already been part of the newsletter staff last year.

Arthur told us that the results will be posted on Friday on the bulletin board beside the door of the newsletter staff office. We thanked him and left.

"Did you notice that that Feliciano actually took the exam?" Ludwig chortled as we got out of the room. "Francis just challenged him to do it. Silly, that was."

I bowed my head in agreement. Francis Bonnefoy was in the same year as Arthur, and in my opinion, just as intimidating. "I guess, Ludwig-san."

"Anyways, was Arthur the one who told you to come? I told him that you'd make a valuable asset to the newsletter. It's because you're so quiet and observant-like, I guess." He adjusted his shoulder bag as we walked together to the boys' dormitory. We really aren't roommates too. My roommate is actually Heracles Karpusi-san, a senpai, and his roommate is Roderich Edelstein-san, another senpai, since the dormitory rules include that roommates must be of different year levels, maybe to lessen the chances of noisy disturbances during the night because of gatherings between guys of the same year. It's a strict little rule, but otherwise, we are free to bum around.

We parted ways in the dormitory, and I thankfully reached the safety of my room. That was what I thought before I came in, however.

Because inside my room, Gilbert Beilschmidt, Ludwig's older brother, was messing around with Heracles, who was sitting on his bed with a sleepy face. They were of the same year, the graduating class already (two years older than me). But the dorm rules still apply to them, so I immediately asked Gilbert to leave our room in peace and mess around somewhere. He just grinned and held out a book to me. I gasped slightly when I saw that it was my diary. My diary of one year and a quarter. I asked it back. He laughed and tossed it to me.

"You're quite a personality in that diary, eh?" he guffawed, standing up. "I was thinking that Kiku Honda is a perfect little student with no solid backbone, but there you are." I made no comment about the slight on my height, since I knew I'll lose when it comes to word games. "Anyways, you'll find that I just wrote something in there that really cracked me up."

I politely bowed him out of the door, and hastily riffled through my diary. He did write something in there. On all the entries. Unfortunately, I was writing them in English, so he understood them. He added small postscripts after every entry. On the last entry, that was yesterday, he wrote:

_Excuse Me counts_: 1  
><em>I'm Sorry counts<em>: 3  
><em>Awesomeness total<em>: -4 pts from your overall score. Kesesesese.

"Oh," I said, with as little horror as I can express. I glanced at Heracles, but he was sound asleep already, so I closed the diary and put it back on my bedside table. I felt totally horrible. Then I took the diary again and flipped to the very last entry so that I can write about today.

After that, I put the diary back on the table, sighed, and changed out of my uniform so that I can go down to the dinner hall to eat. When I was at the line with a tray, however, a voice called me.

"Oi, Honda."

I turned around to see Basch Zwingli, another batch mate. He was in Ludwig's class, and technically one year older than me, although he claims to have attended school later than most because of a tight budget. Anyways, I was glad that he wasn't in my class, at least.

He queued up behind me on the line, picked up his own tray from the stack, and proceeded to pick up the cheapest things on the menu. I tried to ignore him, paid for my dinner, and went around to find a table. Ludwig spotted me and waved from his table.

"Over here, Honda."

I picked my way over the tables and sat on a chair opposite him. He regarded me with quiet interest. I blushed and began to eat, my lacquered chopsticks clattering noisily on my bowl.

"Do all Asians eat rice at every meal?" he asked curiously, ripping a piece of rye bread in half and nibbling at it.

"I can't say," I muttered thickly. "My older brother does, however."

"Ah." He stayed quiet for the rest of the evening after that. But another interruption arrived to upset my meal by the shape of Feliciano, who sat with us at the table and ate his overflowing plate with much gusto.

"Their spaghetti alla carbonara is so good, ve~" He punctuated the sentence with a hearty slurp of noodles. I was busy chewing a piece of roasted squid, so I didn't comment. Ludwig, however, snapped at him, "Don't talk too much at the table while you're eating."

Feliciano just grinned at this, while Ludwig palmed his face exasperatedly.

Only one thing registered on my mind while this scenario was progressing - that the roasted squid was delicious, and that I should get a second helping of it. Maybe I should go now.

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><p>I plodded to my dorm with a firm resolve to continue my entry-writing. The hallways looked empty and peaceful, but I guess that state will change in just a minute or two. I heard Alfred shouting in his room, with Arthur shouting back. Maybe I should hurry now before they carry the argument into the corridor.<p>

The door to my room opened noiselessly. I peeked in and spied Heracles still sleeping upon his bed. He looked entirely peaceful, so I sneaked to my bed and took the diary from my bedside table. I wrote a few more details and concluded it.

_The time is_: 9:54 pm.

I should sleep earlier than that. There are classes tomorrow.

-_Kiku out_

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><p>P. S.<br>_Excuse Me counts_: 1  
><em>I'm Sorry counts<em>: 4  
>... Why am I writing this? I'm starting to be like Gilbert too! Please spare me!<p>

P. P. S. Good night. I expect that tomorrow is going to be a little busier than today. Forgive me then, if I do neglect to write an entry for tomorrow. Don't worry, I shall do my best. Wish me luck!

-_Kiku really out_

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><p><strong>AN2: And don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile! I'll use the poll as basis for my story! (This is starting to be more of a Dating-Sim as it goes, huh...)**


	2. Gakuen Festa

**A/N: Hello, this is me again! I'll be updating more slowly because my mom's going to carry her laptop with her to Italy by the end of the month... and unfortunately, this laptop is where I do most of the uploading. Anyways, I'll try to write more chapters as fast as I can. Hey, doesn't anyone want to go to Italy too? Feliciano!**

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><p><em>学園 フェスタ<em>  
><em><strong>Gakuen Festa<strong>_

_Day 4. Thursday._

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><p><em>Time<em>: 8:24 am.

Um, there were two days between my last entry and this one, so it must be Thursday. My second-period Intermediate Algebra started over twenty minutes before, and I was stuck at watching the teacher write numbers and letters that weren't passing through my mind. I had my face turned to the window, eyes glued to the sky beyond the glass. It's Friday tomorrow, so the guys will goof around outside tomorrow night. I tried not to think about anything and began dreaming about the wind outside caressing my cheek...

Thursday's third period is Biology. We were discussing about microscopes, and today the teacher decided to teach us how to use one.

After the discussion, the teacher had the class group in pairs. My laboratory partner is an ultra-nervous (I totally mean it), brown-haired guy by the name of Toris Laurinaitis. It was easy - I had it done successfully ten minutes after starting without my partner's help (he was wandering off to our neighbors' table), but some of my other classmates weren't as successful. For example, Feliks Łukasiewicz (whose table was the one where Toris was wandering off) was still complaining about seeing blurred dark shadows (I expect that was the onion skin that we were supposed to examine under the microscope).

"It's, like, dark blurry things that I can't, like, describe. I, like, thought that they're supposed to be, like, really veiny..."

His loud comments were silenced by the teacher who told him strictly to continue his work. Feliks pouted and fell silent, to my immense relief.

When the bell rang, I all but rushed outside to the hallway and bumped into a sour-looking girl with long platinum-blonde hair, presumably a freshman. She looked at me as if I was a really disgusting cockroach. Did I already mention how afraid I was of cockroaches?

"Is my brother here?" she asked me coldly, not at all regarding my presence. I wasn't sure if she was talking to me, but she looked at me suddenly. No, that's not it. What she gave me was a death stare.

"Er - your brother?" I sputtered. "I-I..."

She glared daggers at me. I gulped nervously, but suddenly an arm stretched out of nowhere and took mine, steering me to safety (I thought). The newcomer told the girl heartily, "Dear me, Natalia, Ivan is in the boys' lavatory on the third floor. Check him there, won't you? He looks like he's hiding from someone. And this student here is just a sophomore, so leave his poor head alone."

When we had rounded the corner, I then thought to look at my "savior's" face. To my utter shock, it was the "dandy" of the third year students, Francis Bonnefoy. He noticed me staring at him and chuckled.

"Dear me, what a cute little Asian we have here!" Francis cooed, putting his free hand under my chin and turning my head upwards for him to see my face more closely. "Pardon, I seem to find Orientals like you so unique! Am I annoying you now?"

"N-no," I stammered in reply. The truth was, I was so afraid that he'll jump on me or something that I had no time to be annoyed by his chatter.

"Oi, Bonnefoy!"

The shout made Francis turn around. Thankfully, I saw that it came from Arthur.

"Don't go messing with our underclassmen, now, or I'll have you reported to the prefect of discipline!" he snarled, shaking a finger at Francis. That was when I remembered with relief that Arthur is the student council president, and that he holds the highest position in the student body. Francis, who was ironically Arthur's vice president, dropped my arm with a growl.

"What! You can't do that to me, bastard!" he cried dramatically, dropping my arm as he prepared for combat. I gratefully dashed off to the canteen for snacks, leaving them to settle their dispute.

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><p>The next period was World History. This year, it'll be about the Greek and Roman civilizations to the Renaissance. And yeah, I can picture Feliciano somehow topping this class for the first time once we tackle the Roman civilization. He is Italian, after all.<p>

Anyways, the teacher talked about the Greek culture and how the Athenians developed the concept of democracy. I was getting really interested about other countries' governments. How do they shape their people's lives? I smiled and made a mental note to ask Heracles to talk to me about Greece, since he's Greek. It's what makes studying in an international school so fun, that's what I think. You meet lots of people from different cultures.

Next period was my terror subject - Physical Education class! I joined my male classmates in the locker room and changed into our uniform for PE class - a t-shirt, blue jogging pants, and sneakers. I tied the laces of my shoes with a double knot to ensure that it would not come undone later and trip me up. I assure you, I am so useless when it comes to sports like basketball. Especially basketball, since I was easily one of the shortest boys in class. Even Alfred made fun of me one time because of my short stature. But then, it wasn't my fault if I am born to be short. And I could crush them in karate, aikido and kendo single-handedly any time of the day. Just don't wave western sports at my face. They're simply not for me, I guess. I mean, I'm not that sports-minded, anyway.

Our teacher made us run twenty laps around the gym. I didn't mind this at all since I already tied my shoelaces with the double knot, and being slight in build did help me a lot. Feliciano was faring worse than me, at least. The latter was running at a very uninterested manner. At least, that's what it looked like to me.

As I was running my fifteenth lap, Alfred passed me easily with a grin and a "Good luck!" directed at me. It was the second time he'd passed me, so that would make him already in his seventeenth lap since he was originally in front of me when we started. I sighed and tried to run faster, but it was all I could do to keep up with the guy beside me, Tino Väinämöinen.

"All right, Kiku?" he asked me sympathetically. I merely nodded for an answer (since I was a little short of breath now) and ran on beside him. Tino chuckled and kept his pace, keeping me company for the rest of the exercise. He really was a good sort.

After PE, all of the guys showered together. I kept checking if my towel was still on the spot where I left it since it was a common prank among the boys of our batch (I dunno about the other batches) to swipe other people's things in from the shower or locker rooms while everybody was busy and place them in different places. At the most, I had it done to me a couple times last year. It wouldn't do to have it done to me again.

I dried myself off afterward and changed into my uniform, but I opted to wear just my polo shirt and pants and stave off wearing my sweater vest and necktie for the meantime at least. The guys also seemed to think it would be better to completely dry off in their white shirts, so we trooped off to our lunch break looking like that.

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><p>My actual lunch time was short since I had to run to the library and borrow some materials for my English research. I fetched my vest and necktie in the locker rooms by the gym and wore them before proceeding, however.<p>

As I pushed the library door open, I immediately saw two other senpai, Antonio Fernández Carriedo and Feliciano's older brother Lovino, by the librarian's desk. I greeted Lovino with a slight nod. He returned the gesture.

I gathered my materials and accomplished all the paperwork I have to do before borrowing them (I won't enumerate the steps anymore since every high school student must have memorized it by now). Anyways, I examined the things I had borrowed, namely two volumes of Asian literary works, one about the ancient aspect and the other about the modern aspect. Well, I should have this known by heart already, except that I didn't. It's just that I preferred reading manga over Chinese folk tales. Meh. I'm still a regular high school student, after all.

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><p>I should skip mention of my other class periods except for one notable lesson in Arts, wherein we were asked to try drawing anything about our countries. I hadn't anything special in mind, though. So I just drew the sun in the middle of my paper. Everyone told me that the big red circle I drew didn't look like a sun at all.<p>

But it sure looked like a sun to me... Didn't they get it...

All in all, I walked back to my dorm in a dog-tired state and tried to study, but before I could get my mind concentrated on any homework-doing, I found myself drifting off to sleep. I guess Heracles's sleeping habits rubbed off on me sometime after being his roommate.

I was startled from my drowsy state by a series of knocks that sounded like hammer blows on the door.

"Heracles? Are you there?" I noticed that it was a girl's voice.

I immediately went to the door to open it and saw Elizabeta Héderváry, a senpai on the graduating year, still in her uniform. The girls' summer uniform was almost the same as the boys' when you compare the tops, but for the girls, the skirt was red rather than blue like the boys' pants.

"Oh, are you Heracles's roommate?" she asked with a rather haughty air, tossing her wavy hair over her shoulder. "Is he there?"

"Um, I'm sorry, he's not," I said nervously. I'm intimidated when it comes to talking with upperclassmen. I'm not sure if this is natural or what.

"Oh. Where in the world can he have gone?" she asked me, her eyebrows drawing into a slight scowl. "Do you have any idea?"

"Er, he usually spends time outside in the school orchard when he's not here. I think he likes watching the gardener's cats while they try to catch birds."

"I'll try to look there, then." She gave me a quick thank-you smile and stalked off. I closed the door and tried to think.

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><p>I spent the next two hours studying, and by the time the dinner bell rang, I had done every inch of my assignments. I then threaded my way through the crowds of people gathering in the dinner hall. I ate quite a lot, since my mental state was rather over-working itself today and I was a little tired. I ate my way through the soup (a delightful seafood one with oysters) to the dessert (totally not diabetic-friendly, since it was a sweet creme-brûlée that had me in a sugar-induced trance). I must tell you that I took everything from tonight's European menu, but I did skip the strange-looking escargot. I think Feliciano took a lot of those, though.<p>

"Hey, Kiku, may I join your table?" a voice asked me shyly from behind. I turned at the voice and saw Meimei, my younger sister.

"Of course! You can sit anywhere." She sat on the chair beside mine and started to eat slowly, sneaking a glance at my plate every now and then.

"You're eating European today," she commented shrewdly.

I just nodded, since I was a little full and drowsy. I watched her eat, my mind relaxing slowly.

"Anyways, didn't you say that tomorrow's going to be a special class day?" Meimei continued, taking a bite out of a piece of cabbage. "What's that mean?"

"Well, it just means that everyone of the same continent will have class together, regardless of year level." I leaned on the back of my chair and examined the lights overhead. "Are you studying well?"

"Are you seriously asking me that question, Kiku?" she snapped, shooting me a look. "Of course I'm trying to study as hard as I can." She finished up her water and held up the glass to me. "Get me some more, will you?"

I took her glass reluctantly and refilled it from the pitcher on the table where the utensils are, ducking a little to avoid being hit as I saw Elizabeta throw a fork at Gilbert that missed him and almost cut my ear off. When I returned it to Meimei, she thanked me as prettily as she could and ate some more.

"So that's where I'll get to wear my Asian class uniform?" she asked with interest, picking up our conversation again. I nodded, tipping back my chair slightly.

She made a face when she finished her meal. "That Basch guy from your batch really freaks me out. His sister Lili seemed okay, though."

"Don't worry, I feel the same way," I said reassuringly, as we watched the said Basch maneuver the said Lili to an empty table. I noticed that my older brother Yao was engaging in a food fight with one of my younger brothers, Yong Soo.

Meimei stood up with her bowl and patted me on the head. Doesn't she know how irritated I am when someone does that to me? "Grow some backbone, Kiku. Don't go about agreeing with everybody. And also don't go about disagreeing with everybody. You get me?"

"I'll try my best," I replied dryly.

Meimei glared at me suspiciously. I think she got what I meant by that.

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><p>Well, that's all for today, at the very least. As Meimei and I have discussed, the special class day is tomorrow, Friday. I'll try to see if I can describe accurately how the Asian class members go about in this particular day.<p>

_Time_: 9:14 pm.

Am I excited about tomorrow?

Um, I'll think about it. (And I'm sure you don't have to figure out what that means, Mei.)

And I also think that I'll have to try to think of a way to bear with Yong Soo tomorrow. "Ganbatte, Kiku Honda, you're going to die tomorrow," was what my fortune cookie read. No, I'm just making it up. Sorry, bad joke.

Lights off before ten, so I'll just wish you a nice "oyasumi nasai."

-_Kiku out_

P.S. Feliciano told me that today's dinner was almost like a _festa_ since it was so rowdy. Ah, is a _festa_ something like a festival? I tried asking Antonio... All I received as an answer is, "Fiesta? When?" Is _fiesta_ like _festa_? What? I'm confused. Lovino, after a somewhat nasty look at Antonio, answered me, "Yeah. It's the same." Ahh, now I understand. Not?

-_Kiku out once again_ (ahh, my hands hurt from all this writing!)

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><p><strong>AN2: And don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile! I'll use the poll as basis for my story!**


	3. Shoyuu Ga Areba Anshin No

**A/N: Hello, I'm back after one day! Wow, so this chapter is about 3,000 words standing alone! Read and review! Reviews are the first things that writers eat during breakfast!**

**This entry is rather emo, I'm sorry for the long winding passages. And is anyone interested to suggest any pairings? Ahh, so many possibilities, and high school isn't high school without romances!**

** Anyways, let's sally forth!**

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><p><strong><em>醤油があれば 安心の<em>**  
><strong><em><strong><em>Shoyuu Ga Areba Anshin <em>**N_****_o_**

_Day 5. Friday._

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><p>9:23 am.<p>

This time check brought by poor Asian class student Kiku Honda. Thank you.

I was spending the past hour writing notes about the numerous Chinese dynasties. Meimei was too enthusiastic about her brothers being her classmates, but I wasn't too excited about it. Especially with Im Yong Soo, my cheeky younger brother, peeking at my shoulder all the while and shouting at my ear.

Li Xiao Chun, my other younger brother, looks quiet, but I know that I shouldn't talk too much to him. He was too sarcastic for my liking. The two were about Meimei's age, and all are in first year.

Yao Wang, my older brother, was from the graduating batch. He was almost as short as me but for a matter of three centimeters, which I judged to be rather unfair. Yong Soo, however, was taller than the two of us. That, too, totally bummed me.

I doodled idly on my notebook, narrowing my eyes slightly as I wrote the Japanese characters for my name with my nib pen.

Five strokes of the pen for the character Hon: 本

Six for Da: 田

And a little complicated character for Kiku, the "chrysanthemum", the royal symbol for the throne of the emperor of Japan: 菊

Eleven strokes, more or less. Am I right?

本田菊. I dipped my nib pen into the ink bottle and touched its tip on the paper again. I thought about anything more I can doodle about while Chinese History is progressing.

Yong Soo spotted my work and grabbed the pen from me, and wrote his name in his native characters too: 임용수

"My name is more awesome than yours," he said in a really condescending manner with a goofy grin on his face while Yao scowled at us.

I was a little annoyed at what he did, so I told him politely to stop bothering me and do his own thing. He quieted a little, but I swear I can see in his eyes a mischievous streak. I made a mental note to be the first one in our class to enter the canteen later for lunch so that I can eat all the pickled vegetables on my plate before Yong Soo can hog them all.

The recess bell rang. For me, it spelled freedom to the poor Japanese student's ears who was currently seated beside Yong Soo. Yeah, that black-haired one who was desperately wanting to stab Im Yong Soo with the nib pen in his hand.

* * *

><p>I had two pieces of melon-pan, oolong tea, and an extra piece of anpan for recess. I wolfed everything down. Maybe it's the result of the stressful morning I had today. Dunno. Luckily, Yao didn't spot me, or else he'll tell me off for gobbling everything. For the Chinese, eating is an art.<p>

I tried to read a volume of the manga series I was following as I waited for the bell to signal the end of recess. I watched everyone as they walked past. We wear different uniforms when it's special class day. For us Asians, uniforms are black with red for boys and black with gold for girls. I won't bother describing the other uniforms, so feel free to imagine them.

I tried to focus on the page that I was reading, but the bell then rang. I sighed and trooped to my next class. Just then, I realized what my next class was. Bum-mer.

* * *

><p>Asian Dance was a really competitive subject for me. Yao-san is a great dancer when it comes to his traditional dance, and Yong Soo is also not lacking when it comes to that, as much as I hate it. And did I mention that he's also rather epic in terms of modern dance? And Xiao Chun... I'd rather not comment. He's too quiet. I don't know much about him. Maybe Yao can tell you... If he's available, that is...<p>

Mei was rather flustered about the subject. "I'll never lose to you guys in terms of dance!" she yelled at us. I did tell you, this could get a little competitive. Especially with our cultures.

"I could totally own you all!" Yong Soo said. Great timing to butt in, little brother.

"We'll see about that, aru," Yao said simply, getting his shoes ready.

I said nothing. I don't care much about dance, anyway. I know I can dance with a fan as gracefully as Yao does (he did teach me a little, after all). But I also know that I can sing a bit better than I can dance. Does that count?

Forgive me. I must prepare myself for my class. Let's resume this story later, shall we?

* * *

><p>"You dance too slowly, aru," Yao complained, holding out a hand to me as I knelt on the studio's wooden floor, having tripped over myself when we were trying to perform a "rotation" kind of step. What I meant is to spin around faster and faster until the audience can just see a blur of colors where the dancers were just moments ago. It works well with bright-colored kimono, more so if your sleeves are long enough to almost touch the floor. It adds a nice effect.<p>

And why was I dancing with my brother as a partner? Because our teacher told us that this is going to be our term project (yeah, the fact that the teacher announced the first term's project in this subject already although it's just the first meeting confused me too). To combine different dances as a pair and make them complement each other.

"Sorry, I'm just dizzy," I replied, taking his hand and standing up. "Maybe Yao-san is just too fast for me."

"Nonsense, aru. You're younger than me after all, aru." Yao scowled at me. "And stop speaking to me in the third person, aru. It freaks me out, aru."

"I'm sorry," I said quite automatically. Yao frowned this time, crossing his arms.

"Quit apologizing all the time, aru. People will think that you are easy to push around. And seeing how well you handle a shinai (and a katana more so, aru), I think it's quite contradictory to your quiet image, aru." Yao shook his head. "You must change that ready-to-apologize-anytime attitude, Kiku, aru."

"Yao-san is Yao-san," I said dully, "Yao-san must do what Yao-san wants, but please leave me out of this."

Meimei took up her position beside Yao. It's evident whose side she is, although I know that she also wants to back me up. But opinions are opinions. "I've told him that many times already, but he just doesn't listen."

Yong Soo, Meimei's dance partner, yelled, "Aniki's right, _da ze_~!"

Shut. Up.

It was getting harder to meet their eyes.

I bowed separate bows for each of them as the bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson. I gave Yao a deep bow, Meimei a less deeper one, and Yong Soo a mere downward loll of the head.

"Please excuse me," I said politely, and having said that, I picked up my things and left the studio, never to return to class again for that morning.

* * *

><p>I spent the whole free hour (for me, at least) in the quietness of the school orchard, my heart beating quite quickly. I wasn't feeling angry, or sad, or even anything at all. In fact, I almost felt a little... empty. Like a snail shell with no snail.<p>

I stretched a bit as I sat beneath a maple tree, feeling the wind against my face. I held out my right arm and gazed at the skin on its underside. Funny. I'm so pale. _Too_ pale. Almost like a sick person. It's because I never go out from my house unless _absolutely_ necessary. Otaku me.

When I had almost an half-hour left, it began to rain steadily. It first expressed itself in big slow drops, then tiny faster ones. I forsook the safety of the maple tree and ran out into the rain, the drops drenching my black jacket and pants and hair and my pale skin. It felt wonderful. It was as if I was being cleansed by the gods themselves. I felt totally refreshed and renewed.

The lunch bell rang suddenly without my being aware of it, so I spent half of the break staring at the sky and letting the rain wash all my thoughts away. After which I decided to go into the canteen to dry myself off before the end of the break.

* * *

><p>The last period of the afternoon is Asian Music. All throughout the afternoon, my siblings keep on sneaking looks at my face and clothes (since my uniform did not dry as fast as I thought it would). Since I was used to people staring at me all the time as though I were strange, I didn't take any notice of them.<p>

When the dismissal bell rang, I was the first to grab my stuff and leave the class. Without any backward glance, I started off to my dormitory. In the end, it became a sort of TGIF day for me too.

Thank [_the_] gods, it's [_finally, freaking!_] Friday.

* * *

><p>Arthur hailed me as I was passing by the European Geography classroom. "Hey, Honda!" he yelled at me as I peeked into the room (I was going to return Feliciano's iPod that I was sneakily listening to during class since I just had to have something to distract me from boredom whenever I find time hanging a little heavily on my hands). I was rather afraid that he was going to confiscate it, but instead, he grabbed my shoulder and said really enthusiastically, "Hey, have you seen the bulletin board?"<p>

"N-no," I gasped, as he slapped me on the back rather a bit too powerfully. "I was just deciding to go after this..."

"Oh," he said with a smile. "Well, I'm going to tell you myself - you've passed!"

"R-really?" I said, surprised. "I did?"

"Um," he said, amused perhaps with my expression. "If you don't believe me, go check it out yourself."

"Yes, I think," and I thrusted the iPod into his hands. "Senpai, please give this to Feliciano-kun and tell him that I want to thank him for lending this to me..."

"Uh, okay -?" I heard him say hesitantly, looking at the gadget in his hands. Then he just realized what "it" was. "Hey, Honda -! Feliciano's -!"

Sorry, senpai. I just have to check it out myself -!

* * *

><p>I indeed saw my name on the list with the proud heading "<strong>World W Academy Newsletter: Passing Examinees, Good Job!<strong>". I was so delighted at the news, I practically want to sing my heart out even if it's not allowed to in the hallways. (Sorry...)

"Ve~ You passed too, Kiku~" a voice said behind me. Shocked, I turned to face Feliciano's tall figure towering over me.

"Ah, Feliciano-kun!" I said haltingly. "Your, _ano_, iPod..."

"Eh?" he interjected, looking at me inquiringly. "You want to have it a bit longer? No problem!"

"No, it -" I sighed, looked for words, failed, and finally continued on, "Just get it from Kirkland-senpai. I told him to give it to you since I was going here in a hurry."

"Eh -? Arthur?" Feliciano looked confused, then beamed, unaware of the problem - that is, that there is a risk that Arthur will turn it in to the prefect of discipline. "Okay, got it!" He ran off, then turned back to me and cried, "See you on Monday at the newsletter office, then~!"

I wondered about what he meant, then decided to check the list again. Sure enough, Feliciano was listed along those who have passed the admission test. W-o-w. (^_^)

I smiled at the list, and started on my way to the boys' dormitories. _Good job, Kiku Honda..._

* * *

><p>I was greeted by the sight of Ludwig and Gilbert as I trooped up the staircase to my room. The two seemed to be fighting - Gilbert was complaining to his brother, "That's not going to work for me, man!"<p>

"Well, if I'm going to be the one to treat you, it sure as hell will not work for me," Ludwig was insisting. "We should split up the bill to be fair. I know how much you can drink in one night, and also how much that'll cost me too. I'm not stupid."

"Aw, that's bullshit, bro," Gilbert growled, then unfortunately he spotted me standing there. "Hey, Honda, wanna join us? We'll split the bill into three so that it's not going to be a bother anymore."

"Er - where, if I may ask?" I had a really bad feeling about this, Gilbert-senpai.

"To the pub!" Gilbert said energetically. "We're going with the guys there! Wanna come?"

I knew that the "guys" actually meant the seniors, so I politely declined. "Er, sorry, senpai - I have to do a research work for my World History class because it's due Monday - _ano_..."

"Come on, Honda, don't be such an uptight student," Gilbert wheedled, smiling at me mischievously.

"I-I'm underage, senpai..."

"That's right, Gilbert," Ludwig snapped at his brother. "So don't go dragging somebody else underage like_ us_ here, since it's _your_ problem..."

"Come on -!" Gilbert whined, gaze diverted from me momentarily. Ludwig tipped me a huge wink, clearly saying, "Get your ass outta here now!" I obeyed him and scurried upstairs, terrified for my life.

* * *

><p>Upstairs, I almost ran into Lovino, who was standing idly by the door of his room. I bowed and apologized to him, and he regarded me with narrowed brown eyes.<p>

"Don't bother with it," he said to me after. "Anyways, have you seen Antonio? I was going to invite him to Gilbert's plan..."

"Ara, no, sorry..." I tried to smile a bit, but failed. "I'm sure you'll find him somewhere soon, though, so don't worry..."

"Hm. I guess. Hey, are you in?"

I gulped. "No, I'm still underage, you see..."

He nodded. "Oh, right. But you know, I prefer to talk to you a lot more than that Ludwig bastard. And Feliciano still sticks with that... Meh." He made a "tch" sound and looked at me with a rather perplexed look. "Hey, Honda, are you all right? You look as if you're always pale or something..."

"Ah, no, thank you for your concern, but it's kinda natural," I quickly explained, blushing.

"Are you sure?" He looked more worried than ever when he saw my blush. "I'm always afraid whenever I see you 'cause you always look as if you're going to faint or something... And, you look like you're warm or something like that now... Are you sick?"

"Ah, don't worry, I'm fine, I-I have to - uh, go now..." And I entered my room quickly, nervously fanning my face with one hand because of nervousness. I don't really enjoy talking to senpai that much, and to talk to three in one day is overwhelming...

But now I have dinner to look forward to, which I noted with a relief. I do list eating as a hobby, if you'll excuse me. And I eat whenever I want, whatever I want when I diet. That is, in a way, my little Japanese diet plan. Fun, eh?

My today's wish list: Please have the dinner bell ring right now... please please please...

* * *

><p>Dinner was a little quiet today, since most of the seniors are out enjoying each other's company for the first time after the summer vacation. I tucked into a bowl of rice seasoned with soy sauce and had chicken to go with with it.<p>

I thought that as long as there is soy sauce, life will be a peaceful trip. That was what's circulating in my mind as I ate. Good. I had to go and get my second serving.

* * *

><p>I was surprised to see Heracles asleep on his bed when I got back. Well, not much by the sleeping part. I was just wondering why he wasn't with the seniors goofing out in the bar.<p>

Maybe, I thought to myself, he just wasn't in the mood for it. But the fact was, Heracles was always out of it. Always. I noticed after the first few times when I started talking to him.

I shrugged, pulled out my small trusty Netbook out of my bag, and started my research work. It shouldn't hurt to borrow some materials for this next thing tomorrow morning...

* * *

><p>Anyways, I think it'll be better if we're going to resume talking tomorrow. It's going to be an idle weekend tomorrow. If I can't get out of the Academy's grounds tomorrow, I'll just hang around with Yao so that I can practice dance, since that's our assignment for next week's A. Dance, after all. Yeah. That's it.<p>

-_Kiku out. Goodnighty._

P.S. I wish that it's a nice day tomorrow. If that's the case, Yao will practice with me in the school garden. I'd love to be surrounded with flowers tomorrow.

P.P.S. A freshman girl asked me this afternoon if I would like to join their gathering tonight. I recognized her as one of Meimei's clique, or group, or whatever. I was a little shocked, so I told her in no uncertain terms that I'm sorry because I'm going to be busy, and to please tell Mei to stop inviting me to join their group, which was a _girls'_ one.

-_Kiku sleepy, so I'm out for good..._

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><p><strong>AN2: And don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile! I'll use the poll as basis for my story!**

**Umm, thank you to AK30102 for that small correction and the review! Unfortunately, I can't reply to you personally for my thank you unless you have an account, a pity, but please review more! I'll see what I can do to your suggestion! (Ahahaha...) *wink!***


	4. Iro Hani Hoheto Chiri Nuru Wo

**A/N: Waahhh, shortest chapter ever. Don't worry, cause next chapter is way longer than this. I expect to finish it a couple days from now.**

**Warning: This chapter is seriously bursting with foreshadows. (O.O) **

**If you don't know what foreshadows are, refer to your old grade school English textbook. **

**And that's a joke.**

* * *

><p><em>いろはにほへとちりぬるを<em>  
><strong><em>Iro Hani Hoheto Chiri Nuru Wo<em>**

_Day 6. Saturday._

* * *

><p><em>Time<em>: 10:47 am.

Good morning, fellow students. I assume everyone stayed up late last night. And it's surely a very beautiful morning today. The air is cool and comfortable, so I wouldn't blame anyone who still refuses to get up this instant. After all, it is the weekend.

Every weekend, students are free to wear and to do whatever they please. Since this is an international school far away from most students' homelands, and weekends are virtually mini-vacations every week, everyone doesn't bother to go home every week. To adapt to this, school rules are somewhat relaxed during Saturdays and Sundays. Um, when I say "relaxed", I mean the rules are kinda not so reinforced, but they are still there. Duh.

Yao agreed to practice dance with me, although he did threaten to strike me with his ebony-carved fan if I follow too slowly. I meekly agreed to that, so I was now trailing down the steps in a casually-colored split hakama. Some stragglers on the garden (freshmen, I am sure of it, since the upper years were used to the sight of other students in their traditional dresses) shot me interested looks, but I tried to ignore them by a relentless chant in my head.

_Ignore them ignore them ignore them_...

I inspected the flowers in the garden. The garden wasn't really that strictly seasonal, so I spotted a motley of colors and shapes. It was really kinda... peaceful, even.

"Hey, Kiku!" Yao ran up, panting with exhaustion. "I told you to wait for me! You're so impatient!"

"I'm sorry, aniue." His face softened at the honorific, then he resumed his stern expression. I bowed lightly to him, then he began our dance session. (Well, that's partly why I wore the split hakama, so that I can dance easily...)

* * *

><p>Approximately one and a half hours later, I was dizzy and even limping a bit as I trooped back to my room to change into lighter western clothes. I attributed the dizziness to Yao's incessant tapping of the fan on my head (and get it from me, that is an understatement), and the limping from having tripped three times over myself while attempting to copy Yao's more complicated steps.<p>

Thankfully, Heracles wasn't there, so I had the liberty of dressing up alone in the room. I chose a t-shirt and light pants that reached to my knees, along with some sandals. After that, I reached for my MP3, put the earplugs in my ears (I think I don't need to say that...), and grabbed the camera in my suitcase. This day is going to provide me another compilation for the diary. Whoop for joy.

Click. Click. Click. The noises of the camera's clicking along to the tune in my ears (quite literally) are a joyful sound. Thank you to whoever invented the digital camera.

* * *

><p>"Look! That butterfly's so interesting! I think that's one of those unique species... I saw that in a book!"<p>

"Where? Where?"

"There! That one!"

Click! And the confused American will look strangely at the Japanese who had his camera ready slung over his neck. As an answer, the American receives a nice "don't-bother-about-me" smile.

* * *

><p>"That Yong Soo looks so silly when following Yao around. Look, Kiku..."<p>

"Ah, I get it." Click! "Yong Soo did look silly. What a surprise."

The Taiwanese glares at the Japanese who just took a picture. "Kiku, when will you cut that taking-pictures-everywhere addiction out of your system?"

"Until next time." The Taiwanese understood, so she gave the poor Japanese a whack on his hair. Fortunately, the latter doesn't much mind his hair getting ruined, so he bids her a polite goodbye.

* * *

><p>"This looks delicious, I better try this," the German said to himself at lunch while poking around at the American menu.<p>

"Don't you think that item looks a bit strange, Ludwig-san?"

"Well, a bit. But Alfred said that this is highly recommendable..."

"Wait a minute, then, before you take a piece of that interesting-looking cake. I'm thankful that no one ate of it before we came... Look... It's still whole..."

As the bemused German looked on, the Japanese had whipped his camera up and had taken a snapshot of the chiffon cake covered with neon orange frosting.

"I didn't think that you'd even get a picture of that, Honda..." the German muttered with a grin. "Here, take some too..."

"Thank you, but I'll think about it first, Ludwig-san..."

* * *

><p>It started raining the whole afternoon, so I decided to take a snapshot of the wet plants in the garden. They looked so green as the rain washed all their problems away. I took an especially good picture of a lily with its raindrop-filled petals.<p>

"It's so interesting how objects change in the rain," I sighed as I snapped a shot of some birds flying overhead to their nests. The gray sky looked faintly inhospitable. I shrugged and ran to the pond, feeling the blade of the wind against my skin. It was starting to rain harder, but I continued my work.

Click! Click! Click! I spent my afternoon actively among nature.

I started to consider going back to the school to dry up as I felt the wind get stronger (it bit into my skin), so I streaked off to the dorm. The sudden heat that blasted my body in the entrance hall (I saw that they made a huge fire on the equally large fireplace) made my sight swim a bit, but I ignored it and went upstairs to shower off and change into dry clothes.

I felt totally... weird, and somewhat shaky. And that was another freaking understatement. I plopped down on my bed and stared at the ceiling.

Um, I think that I should break off from here because - I feel like the world's spinning round me... I should sleep, perhaps...

_Time_: 5:46 pm.

The last sight I remembered before finally sleeping was a trail of petals blown away by the strong wind...

-Kiku out...?

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Time for a little action, aniue. I'll try to update as soon as possible. Review and take the poll in my profile. Serious me.**

**Ahh, the bliss of being in a tropical country is that you get to bake yourself into death unless you have anything to cool you down.**

**I'm rambling. And enjoying RomaHeta at the same time. Try for a black!Kiku sometime? And Kiku in black is seriously cute. I have a pic of it in my iTouch. Meh.**

**I actually do the typing in the aforementioned iTouch (remember the handy "Notes" there!). If you spend half of your day away from the computer and you have an iTouch or an iPhone, try my tip. Haha.**


	5. Natsu Wa Yoru Desu

**A/N: Um, this came out a little sooner, but here, read and review!**

**I'd love to hear what you guys think, because this story only has two reviews so far with four (now five) chapters, and I'm starting to get seriously depressed...**

**Although I'd like to thank those who favorited my story! Haha.**

**Read, review, again I plead you! (Wow, I am rhyming...)**

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><p><em>夏は夜です<em>  
><strong><em>Natsu Wa Yoru Desu<em>**

* * *

><p>"Hey, sick sleepyhead. Wake up now."<p>

Nngh, don't - don't poke me, whoever you are - my head feels like it's splitting open -

"Stop moaning, Kiku. Wake up now and lie comfortably so that I can wipe your face properly, aru - Aiyaa, stop thrashing -!" The last exclamation you heard was uttered maybe because I struck the basin of water at that point and had it crashing to the floor. At any rate, (my... my head...!) I now knew that the person who was annoying me before had to be Yao.

"I'll be back with more water, Kiku, aru. And don't try to spill it again or you'll really get it, aru, even if you're sick." A door opened and closed, and I was left wondering what the hell had happened to me. What the hell indeed... It was as if I was being punished by the gods because of something I'd done that displeased them.

A soft squishing sound... Is there someone else here too? Maybe that someone was wiping the water that I had knocked down.

It was then when I opened my eyes weakly. I tried to get up to stare at the clock - what time was it, already? - when a pair of strong, wiry arms held me down.

"Don't move so much, Kiku. Or else your head'll feel worse."

I stared at the face above me. The image swam... All I registered was a pair of bemused bright green eyes blinking at me.

Oh, it was...

I blinked back at him, and he stared at my face. If I hadn't felt so uncomfortable already, I would have blushed with embarrassment at being seen like this, so vulnerable.

"Kirkland-senpai..." I mumbled. His face instantly displayed worry. "Time, what's the time already -? And what's happened to -?"

"Oh..." he muttered, glancing at his watch uncertainly. "It's five minutes past ten. And you have a high fever, that's why you're like that."

Oh, so that's it...

* * *

><p><em>Day 7. Sunday<em>.

* * *

><p><em>Time<em>: 10:05 am. And you have to take his word for it as true, because I have to get up and turn my head at the bedside table to glance at the clock, and clearly, the guy who was holding me so firmly to my bed was not going to let me do the action.

I heard the door open and close again, and Yao hastened to my bedside, shoving Arthur away. "I'll do this, aru."

"O-okay." Arthur moved rather reluctantly away. I felt blessed coolness as Yao dabbed at my face with a wet towel. I closed my eyes. They also felt as if they were burning along with my skin.

"Why have you got yourself so wet in the rain yesterday, aru!" Yao growled. I cracked my eyes open again and stared at him.

"Stay still, aru," Yao whispered as the towel passed over my forehead. The moisture from the towel was soothing me as the wind from the open window rushed in to kiss my flushed face. I tried to say how good it felt, but my voice turned on me, resulting in a clipped whimper from my throat instead.

"Close your eyes, aru," Yao said gently, stroking my damp hair away from my searing forehead. I obeyed, and he passed the towel over my burning eyelids. At that moment, I was thinking how unfortunate I was to catch a fever in just the first week of school.

* * *

><p>I lay in my room for most of the afternoon. Arthur told me before leaving that Heracles was the one who told Yao that I was sick, since probably Heracles thought it weird that he got up before me and checked me if I was all right. Well, I'm thanking him for being a nice guy to bother telling my brother that I was unwell.<p>

I had Meimei drop by my room right before lunch, who convinced Yao to go down and get me some soup so that she can take care of changing the towel on my forehead herself. At least she was quiet today as she ran her cool hand on my neck to check my temperature.

"Does your head still hurt?" she asked concernedly when I settled my head a little higher on the pillows.

"A little, but please don't worry much about it," I said, ignoring my sudden bout of dizziness as I moved.

She didn't look convinced by my reply as always. She pursed her lips slightly and leaned over. "Shall I massage your head for you?" And her voice was laced with an "I-dare-you-to-decline-such-a-thoughtful-offer" kind of tone. To be polite, and also as an attempt to stave off the raging pain that was threatening to go off in my head, I accepted.

She supported me as I made room for her to sit in the bed. I meekly rested my head on her lap, and she proceeded to run her hands soothingly through my hair. I felt her fingers play over my scalp, and I relaxed from this innocent contact with my sister.

After we had rested like this for some moments, Yao finally reentered my room again, holding a tray with a shallow soup dish on it with some crab-and-corn soup. I got up slowly from my position with a slight wince, and I saw Yao scowl at my expression on the corner of my eye.

"Eat this all, aru," he said, placing the tray squarely on my lap and placing a spoon beside the soup dish. "Be careful, aru, it's still pretty hot..."

I spooned up some, blew on it gently, and took a tentative sip on the spoon. It felt nicely warm on my tongue. I decided to eat more as I listened to Yao telling Meimei to return to the girls' dormitory so that I can "eat in peace" while Meimei argued with him.

"Hey, he's my brother also, so you can't tell me to go away, aniki -"

"Yes, but you're too noisy for him to rest properly, aru. Just go back to your dorm quietly like a good little sister and get over it."

"It's so unfair for me! You all get to be here with Yong Soo and Xiao Chun, and I get to be stuck in the girls' dorm with no one but Elizabeta-san or Lili to talk to! It's unfair!" she wailed, and she actually flailed her arms like an anime girl.

I felt my head ache wearily with all this unrest, so I prompted myself to say, albeit feebly, "Mei, just listen to aniue and go back to your dorm. Don't argue with your elders, now."

She turned to me, furious. "_Kiku_ -!"

"You heard Kiku, aru," Yao snapped, pushing her out of the room into the hallway. "Go back and stay there, aru!"

* * *

><p>Alfred and his twin in the other section, Matthew, dropped by to say hello later in the afternoon. I tried to refuse Alfred's genial offer of a super-sized hamburger, but he insisted on putting it on my bedside table. Since I was a little too tired to argue, I let him without any more comment.<p>

* * *

><p>I was feeling better as the sun went down. I was writing on my diary as Feliciano suddenly barged in my room. Heracles was napping on the table (Yao had given up his brother-sitting to him, but naturally, he fell asleep halfway through), so I quickly told him to lessen his noise.<p>

"Ve~ I brought you some _fettuccine di pesto alla Genovese_... I know you'll like it, Kiku!"

I took the proffered plate and fork reluctantly, sighed at the size of the serving, and told him, "Um, I think we should split it in half. I can't possibly eat all of this."

"Oh, right," Feliciano grinned sheepishly. "I'll go and get an extra plate and fork!"

* * *

><p>Arthur dropped by again the instant Feliciano was gone. He looked horribly exhausted, I noted.<p>

"Hello, senpai." I bowed my head slightly, placing the pasta plate beside me on the bed. "Please take a seat."

He glanced warily at the sleeping Heracles who was on the other bed. "Hey, is it alright at this time?"

"Of course. Don't worry; Heracles-senpai is a rather... heavy sleeper." He nodded with a slight smile, and then took the chair beside my bed. With his white shirt and black slacks, we rather looked slightly like a doctor and his patient.

"You'll have some tea, of course?" I asked him, awkwardly pouring some from the gray teapot from my bedside table into a fresh cup. "Here. It's still warm, aniue made this before leaving. It's red tea."

He nodded slightly for thanks, taking the cup I handed him with something like gratitude.

"Why does senpai want to see me again?"

"Quit talking in third person to your senpai, all right? Yao's right, it _is_ freaky. And will you please stop calling me Kirkland? It's as if we're strangers." With a smile, he sipped at the tea. I poured some for myself and sipped too, flavor burning in my throat.

"I'm sorry, Arthur-san. But what can I do for you?" I asked, nesting the cup on my lap as I sat Japanese-style on the bed. It made me slightly more taller than him in his seat, but I didn't take notice of that.

"Well, I just came to see if you're all okay now." He fidgeted while he said this. I tried to smile, but I sort of just twitched my lips in the end. Er, at least I tried.

"I'm feeling fine now, thanks to my aniue's efforts."

"_Aniue_ - you mean, Yao?"

"Hai, yes."

He frowned slightly, downing the rest of his tea as he digested my statement.

"Anyway, Arthur-san, what happened to you? You look like you're really worn-out," I asked him as gently as I could. He appeared to be nervous whenever I spoke to him like that. Eh, figures.

"Oh, it's nothing really," he replied in a nonchalant manner. "It's just that Alfred and Francis dragged me all over the city. Seriously, it tired me a lot."

"Ah," I nodded simply.

He watched me, bemused. "You always make that relaxed 'a-hh' sound," he remarked. "And you bow every time you greet me."

"Er, I guess I can be freaky to everyone, but please don't mind me so much," I replied quickly, blushing. He chuckled.

"You're an odd one," he said, standing up to leave. Just then, Feliciano burst in the room, carrying a plate and a fork.

"Oi, Feliciano. You don't want to get into trouble again, do you, making a racket like that?" Arthur said sternly, green eyes on the latter's brown ones.

"No, senpai!" Feliciano stuttered nervously.

Arthur was about to leave when Ludwig peeked into the room and said, "Oi, Feliciano, so I _am_ right, you're there. Roderich wants to talk to you about something. Drop by our dorm room immediately. As in right now. Roderich seems to be in a bit of a hurry to tell you."

"Eh?" Feliciano sputtered. "But I have to split this pasta dish between Kiku and me first, because he doesn't want to eat it all by himself..."

"Hm? Pasta?" Ludwig's eyebrow twitched, then he spotted Arthur. "There's Arthur, he can take care of eating your share of that pasta."

"Eh - huh?" Feliciano was torn between his options, but Ludwig was staring so scarily at him (yeah, I'm also scared a bit) that he jumped out of the room screaming, "Arthur, please eat with Kiku, ve~! I'm sorry Kiku!"

The sounds of his bounding feet and Ludwig's firm footsteps soon faded, and I was reduced to staring at the poor pasta plate beside me.

I let out a shaky breath. "Arthur-san, if you would - um, partake of this dish with me?"

Arthur stared at me with crystalline eyes. "Are you seriously asking me, Kiku?" He sat back down, took the plate and fork that Feliciano had put in my hands, and we proceeded to split the pasta unequally. I gave him the larger portion, since I wasn't sure if I'll throw up again once my stomach detects the olive oil. Better be safe.

While we ate, Hercules took it in his head to suddenly wake up, and blinked with surprise at the sight of us two eating pasta so calmly while facing each other.

Before I even finished my share, though, I felt slightly queasy, so I stopped eating. Arthur noticed, so he looked at me. Worry was written in his eyes.

"I-I am quite all right, really," I said hastily, seeing his expression. "I think I just have to rest a bit..."

Arthur glared at me. "Hey, just rest for now then. I'll just go so that you can have some rest." He finished the rest of his food and stood up. "I'll take your plate downstairs too, if you don't mind. Are you finished already?"

"Yes," I answered meekly, handing my plate over. I felt my forehead to see if I was still hot, but I can't judge accurately since my hands were freezing cold from the wind that was blowing through the still-open window.

Arthur saw what I was doing, so he put down the plates, knocked my clumsy hands off my forehead, and felt my skin. I shivered - his hands were as warm as sunlight.

"Your fever's down," he remarked unabashedly. "Yao will be happy to see that. And I guess you'll be in shape for tomorrow at least." He gave me a small smile, picked up the plates, and finally made his way out the door.

Heracles stared at me unceasingly. "What... was that about?" he asked dully.

I gave him a small shy smile.

"I dunno too, senpai."

I glanced at the alarm clock on my bedside table. _Time is_: 7:44 pm.

* * *

><p>I tried to rest early in the evening this day. Luckily, once my head fell back on the pillow, my eyes fell closed, and I slept, free from chasing reality.<p>

-Kiku out...

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><p><strong>AN2: For those who hadn't voted yet, please participate too! This chapter is an AsaKiku moment, but this story is still flexible and can be subject to changes, since a teenager's heart is finicky, after all...**


	6. Haretara Higasa Zenkai De Kakuremi No

**A/N: Thank you to the reviewers! Okay, this is rather short for a chapter, only 1,500 words today. But forgive me, I was up all night thinking about the story's plot and the standing of the poll as I publish this was: oh, the Cat Combo and the Island-Nation Alliance are neck-and-neck at 30% each! Oh my gosh... I don't know what to make of this piece of news...**

**Keep voting! Because in the next chapter, I'll check the votes and decide who'll stand victor! If there is still a tie, Kiku will make them play janken! (whoop)**

**And I'm sorry if I'll update slowly from now on... If I do get a chance to update, I'll pour several chapters at once! Now, like Ludwig, I'll say, "Ijo da!" That's all!**

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><p><em>晴れたら 日傘全開で隠れみの<em>  
><strong><em>Haretara Higasa Zenkai De Kakuremi No<em>**

_Day 8. Monday again. My hate day._

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><p><em>The time while I was writing this<em>: 8:34 am. It's the middle of the second period.

Lesson two in World History: be attentive, or else Athena will strike you with her father's thunderbolt. In a figurative way, of course.

That's what happened to a boy two rows from my seat who was caught sleeping. The teacher sent him out of the room and was given a zero mark for our formative test today about the last lesson.

I was feeling better, enough to attend classes. Well, I guess I was still paler than usual, because Feliciano kept prodding me and asking if I'm okay. Or maybe he's just an overreacting seat mate. I guess it's just the second one.

I checked my bag for a mirror. Damn, Meimei must have sneaked it out of my bag. It wasn't there.

Huh. I took occasional notes about the lecture. I knew a bit about this lesson already, so I began watching my classmates. Tino was trying hard not to yawn, but was failing miserably. He must have gone out somewhere with Lukas Bondevik, his intimidating roommate, late last night. Toris and Feliks were whispering together about something that interested Feliks immensely but was flustering Toris excessively. Feliciano was staring blankly at the chalkboard, mouth agape slightly as he clutched his pen in a disheartened manner. Alfred was tipping his chair back, boredom written on his face in capital letters. Figuratively.

I took out a charcoal pencil out of my bag and began sketching on the back of my notebook out of sheer boredom, first a vague outline, then I carefully filled up the details. I drew the face first, as was my custom, making it a slender feminine one with bright limpid brown eyes. Cute.

Feliciano noticed me sketching, so he completely took off his eyes on the board and fixed his eyes on my notebook. "Ve~ Pretty, Kiku~" he said with a wide smile.

"Right you are," Alfred put in quietly so that the teacher won't notice him.

I replied with a small smile, then filled in her hair. It was fun to draw like this, as if you're in an RPG and creating a character from scratch, but with your imagination free to run about. Shoulders, torso, limbs, and clothes soon followed. After the light sketching, I darkened the necessary lines and erased the others. Shading in the hair. Then more adjustments, until finally you have a two-dimensional character. Fun, eh? If I had brought my coloring materials, I could have defined her more, but not everyone gets to have their fun all the way.

Well, I made World History an Art class today. I think it'd be nice to do the same in English class, which was right after this.

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><p>A short recess break, where I washed my face in the second floor boys' restroom and took some fever medication, since Yao was still worried about my condition (although I tried to tell him many, many times that I'm okay), since he rather suspected that the fever will return if I'm not careful about being too active.<p>

"Hello, Honda-kohai. You seem to be better now, da? Arthur told me that you were sick."

I looked up from my noodles to see the most fearsome senpai in the third-year level, Ivan Braginski. With light, beige-blond hair, childishly cruel violet eyes that almost passed into the realm of blue, and that smile which seemed to say that he was contemplating how to hurt you best, frankly, I was unnerved. I took a sharp intake of breath and ran a hand through my hair. I was unsure of what to say, actually.

And I was known to be the most ready among my siblings. I always knew what to say at exactly the right time to say it. I could even be sharp-tongued when occasion required.

Now, I was staring at the Russian in front of me, mouth slightly open.

"You seem to be speechless, Honda-kohai. Or shall I just call you Kiku-kun? It's better that way." He sat beside me at the table, watching me eat with mirthless violet eyes.

I merely nodded, shutting my mouth. I seemed to have lost the ability to speak.

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><p>He continued sitting there for the rest of my recess break. When the bell rang, I ditched my utensils on the table and grabbed my books, bag, and my wits. I sighed with relief as I finally rushed into Music class, breathless from running. I don't know what he wanted from me. Hell, I don't even know what I can possibly give him that'll make him approach me. Unless if he was looking for a new stuffed toy to play with. Oh no. Stop making me deal with psychotic schoolmates. Please.<p>

"Oi, Honda. You look as if you've run to hell and back," Alfred said casually, taking a seat with me on the back of the room as always.

I placed my bag at the side of my chair and the books under the desk. "Actually, what I've experienced was worse," I replied quietly, shivering.

"Hah," Alfred snorted a laugh. "All right, dude?"

"Yes, thank you."

What I was wondering about while I practiced playing the guitar (yeah, today's lesson is the guitar) is that, what does Ivan want from me? And what can be his intention?

Paranoia is never a good thing.

La, la, I'm getting better at hitting the notes.

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><p>Dismissal time at last. I shouldered my bag and prepared to leave the room for the first ever meeting of the newsletter staff. Only a select few were accepted - in total, we were eight in all. I shrugged the fact off. It was just a newsletter, anyway. It'll be overkill to have the writers greater in number than the pages of the actual newsletter.<p>

"Ve~ Kiku, you didn't wait for me~!" Feliciano came streaking towards me, hair in a wild panic, just as I placed my hand on the door knob of the office.

I apologized. "I am sorry, Feliciano-kun. I forgot you somehow."

"It's okay." Feliciano grinned cheerfully at me. "Alfred's in too, anyway."

"Really?" I looked beyond his shoulder to see the lanky figure of Alfred, who was as out of breath as Feliciano was. In my head, I was amazed. He is telling the truth, Alfred _is_ in.

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><p>The meeting was started right off. The editor-in-chief is Arthur, and his associate editor is, funnily enough, Francis. (Yeah, I find it really amusing. If it weren't for the fact that this was a serious meeting and I am used to being serious, I would have laughed my head right off.)<p>

The rest of us are staff writers, with Ivan (the big-boned scary guy who scared me off earlier), Ludwig (veteran writer - although he prefers to read over writing most of the time), Feliciano (ahh, no comment how he managed to pass the screening), Alfred (he'll make a good writer when it comes to sports news), Yao (yeah, my brother, a little TOO descriptive for my tastes, but he holds his language classes well), and of course, yours truly, Kiku (the diarist who wants to publish a food magazine of his own someday). Goodly bunch for an academic newsletter, isn't it?

Arthur explained that he will divide the staffers into two groups: one for the even-numbered months and one for the odd-numbered months. He assigned Ludwig, Feliciano and me in the even-numbered months, and the rest to the odd-numbered months.

After other matters, we broke up the meeting, each of us going back into our dorms to study and relieve the stress from the day. I was accompanied by Feliciano, who was positively bursting with excitement.

"Ve~ Kiku, I'm happy I got in with you and Ludwig~!" he was chirping freely. I tried on a smile. Luckily, it fit.

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><p>I spent the rest of the day agonizing about my homework in Algebra. When Heracles finally entered my room, I felt like I was melting from overwork. I can call Yao to ask him to help, but I think he'll just scoff at me and tell me off for not studying the lesson properly.<p>

That's what older brothers are for, actually.

"Kiku... Why do you look so upset..." was my roommate's first question.

"Oh, it's just my Math homework," I replied, forcing a smile. I think it came out as a grimace. He understood immediately - rather _too_ immediately for me to suspect if he can read minds or something.

"Want me to help you...?" Heracles said next. He sat on the bed and pulled his vest and tie off. "I think I can help... If... you like..."

"Um," I said slowly, tempted by the very idea. "Yes...?"

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><p>Well, I made a good choice when I selected Heracles to teach me my Algebra. He kept the explanation simple and slow (although the latter, I think, is to be attributed to his normal way of speech than to a kindly gesture on his part). He always waited until I finally get what he wanted to put through. Although I did try to figure it out quickly, since I was a bit afraid that he might fall asleep or something before I finish my work.<p>

At nine past, I finished everything and sighed in relief. "Thank you, Heracles-senpai -" I was about to say, when I saw him already dozing off. Well, I was the reason why he missed his regular sleep time, so I didn't begrudge him his sleep. Instead, I stared at the curly hair and whispered with a thankful smile, "Thank you."

Well, I guess that's all for today. Tomorrow's Tuesday, I'll make up for this awfully vague entry by filling in the entry for tomorrow.

-_Kiku out..._

P.S. Sweet dreams, senpai. I hope you'll dream about cats or something...

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><p><strong>AN2: Erm, sucky ending, but I do guess I brought out the gist of Giripan, that is, a relationship full of innocence and sweetness.**

**Don't worry, AsaKiku. If you top the poll by the next chapter (maybe next week or so, I'll close it already and take the plot from the results like a Dating-Sim), AsaKiku will appear next chapter. If GiriPan takes the lead, then, at least you tried your best, ne? No favoritism, I love GiriPan and AsaKiku, don't worry.**

**Keep the votes and reviews up, guys!**


	7. Hana Wa Nioedo Chitte Yukimasu

**A/N: And the winner is... AsaKiku! Ah, sorry to Giripan. **

**Actually, I made two versions of this chapter, one AsaKiku and one Giripan. This is the AsaKiku version. But I'll make the Giripan chapter a bonus (I dunno if I'll make it a side story or a bonus chapter at the end), dontcha guys worry. **

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><p><em>花は匂えど散ってゆきます<em>  
><strong><em>Hana Wa Nioedo Chitte Yukimasu<em>**

_Day 9. Tuesday. Excited much._

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><p><em>Time<em>: 9:59 am.

Feliciano is down with a cold, so today I have nobody beside me in Algebra class since he always takes the seat beside mine. Unluckily, the vacancy was almost immediately filled up by an apparition of Alfred, who suddenly took it in his head to sit beside me, rather than his usual position behind me.

"This is a really good morning, Honda," he sang cheerily, whistling a tune. "Oh, what a good day it is today."

I shot him a Very Meaningful Look Which Meant I Wasn't In The Mood, but its meaning just bounced off his skull entirely. Talk about thick.

He whistled cheerily, taking out his book and pen. "Hey, did you finish your homework?"

"Of course," I snapped, but quietly, since the wretched teacher was now in the room. I wondered why she wasn't here before us. I mean, this is her classroom after all.

"Good morning class. I gave you a piece of homework to do yesterday, can you please pass all your worksheets now?" she said, menacing blue eyes taking in the class. Then she swooped on her prey - I mean, she snapped at a guy near the aisle, "And I expect you, Nunez, to have tried answering this with a better effort than last time. Your written works aren't faring so good as your oral ones, I fear."

I shook my head slightly. She was one of the most merciless educators in this school. If I wasn't such a careful student in terms of academic performance (not that I was a straight-A student, since I once scored a B in my Algebra grade last year, and in my experience that's my lowest grade ever) and conduct (yeah, I really think that Alfred's "goody-goody" description of me was pretty... accurate), I may as well be that poor Nunez boy, cowering from the Algebra teacher's harsh comments about his poor work in her subject.

I spent the rest of the period debating whether I should go and ditch this class or endure it out. I can't decide on anything, so I ended up with the last option because the bell rang suddenly. It's time for the recess break, which is actually my best extracurricular subject. If such a thing actually did exist.

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><p>A free period after recess for all year levels to catch up on workloads. Tuesdays are always nicely lazy. I don't know if this is actually my favorite day out of the week or something, but I guess it is. More time to catch up on my Music practice, since our homework on that subject is to complement the guitar with a song. And of course, I can also catch up in my diary too. Alright! Let's get started!<p>

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><p>I was singing a rather melancholic song softly in the garden when I felt... someone standing behind me. Who -?<p>

I turned around rather suddenly, seeing, yes, Arthur standing across the garden directly opposite me. He looked faintly surprised and embarrassed because he was caught, but shrugged it off as if he knew that he would be seen anyway. I gave him a smile and asked him if he would care to join me. His green eyes positively sparkled with what seemed to be laughter. I was... well, I was captivated.

"Why not?" he said, finally grinning and sitting with me on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the garden. "Anyways, what are you singing?"

"Oh, nothing. Just a piece for Music class about blossoms scattering and dying in the wind," I replied, ignoring his less-than-happy reaction about the subject of the song that I picked. "I figured it would be better to just practice today because I don't have anything to catch up to, and frankly, seeing the nice weather outside just makes one forget about cooping up oneself in a dark room to study."

I idly looked around the sky. I felt his eyes upon me, but I determinedly kept staring at patches of white clouds interspersed in the dull blue sky. I wasn't going to blush. Was not. I swear on... on my sword. Or else I would have committed seppuku right there and then because of sheer self-consciousness. Oh. I forgot I left my sword back at home.

We just remained like that, as still as statues, until I felt my neck ache. I turned again to face Arthur, who was still staring at me with his mouth slightly (really just a tiny little bit) agape. Sorry, I just found his expression a little too endearing to resist describing it.

"Is something the problem, Arthur-san?" I finally worked up the courage to ask him when he continued to stare at me, right in my eyes. I faintly felt like telling him that it was rude to stare at a person in his eyes for a long period of time, so that's when I said it. "Is something the problem, Arthur-san?" I repeated, raising my voice slightly when he didn't respond.

He seemed to snap out of it and apologized for his rudeness, blushing profusely and looking very uncomfortable, as if he wasn't sure himself on what prepossessed him to act like that. I accepted his apology well enough.

He struggled to cast around for something to say, then his eyes fell on the little black diary beside me.

"What's that?" he asked in a low voice, indicating the diary beside me.

"Oh," I said rather hesitatingly. I didn't write this diary to let people mess with it, anyways. But he was looking at me with such clear green eyes that I replied helplessly, "It's a diary. My diary."

He snickered softly. "I didn't know that someone like you kept a diary."

"It's in my blood, I guess." When he appeared to be confused by my reply, I continued, "You see, some warriors also keep something like a diary to record their war participations and experiences and also battle records."

"Oh, I see..." Arthur looked curiously at the diary, enthusiasm lighting up his face. "You know, when I find out that a person keeps a diary, it suddenly makes me want to read it. To see if they view the world differently from you or if they really feel the same about your opinions in life. I dunno - I've never been that great a diarist - Heaven knows how many times I tried to keep a diary and failed extravagantly - so I've always been convinced that the most unlikely people ever to write single entries in a diary, just like you for example, are also the most interesting."

I sighed softly. "You think so?" I fidgeted a little as my cheeks flushed.

"Is that written in English, maybe?" he inquired, his expression changing subtly as if he struck upon a brilliant idea.

"Unfortunately, yes," I said. "Why, if I may ask?"

"Hey, I dunno if I can ask you this much, but if you say yes I'll be much obliged" - I was beginning to be suspicious upon his opening lines - "but can I borrow your diary to read for... a couple days maybe? I swear I won't let anyone else than me to get near it, much less find it. Please?" He was pleading. With puppy eyes, no less. Um, great.

"But -" I was just going to say something when he clasped his hands together and repeated, "Pretty please?"

"I guess I'll just say... okay," I said slowly, placing a hand on the aforementioned diary's cover warily. "But of course there's a condition. These are my thoughts that you're asking for, Arthur-san. So my condition is something as similar."

He looked a little apprehensive at this. "What is it?" he finally asked rather seriously.

When I told him my condition, he looked perplexed. "What? You know I can't -"

"You can, Arthur-san." I picked up my guitar and the diary with a smile. "And I'll just give this to you tonight, since I have to finish today's entry..."

He gulped, determination finally settling in his eyes. "I-I'll try. If that's what it takes - to finally read your thoughts."

I blushed at his reply, but held my ground. "I'll be on my way, Arthur-san." I stood up, bowed deeply, and walked away. I still felt his eyes fixed on me.

Why the hell can't I stop smiling like I've won the lottery already? I didn't even buy a ticket. Maybe, just maybe, the reason was just that simple... and was currently staring at my back.

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><p>The rest of the day passed like a blur. I took notes as expected of me, but what's really in my mind is the nice weather outside. The blue sky rushed on infinitely, the wind slowly trailing a path of green summer leaves.<p>

I was the last one to realize that the dismissal bell had rung already. All around me, shuffling of papers and books were heard and the usual noise was beginning to start outside in the hallway as friends met up after a whole day of studies. I was the only one caught in a time warp, never unchanging.

"Snap out of it, Kiku, aru."

I was startled out of my reverie, but luckily, I didn't need to turn around to see the speaker. "Why are you here, aniue?" I asked simply, memorizing the shapes of the clouds as they glided past. The wind must be strong outside.

"Well, I just want to see you, aru. I don't need any reason just to." True enough. I turned my head to his direction. His amber eyes looked at me with a multi-layered expression. I couldn't read them.

I stood up, scooped up my things, and bowed to Yao. "Then let us take a walk outside, if it'll please you."

He smiled slightly. "I know it'll please me."

We walked side by side in the brick pathway leading to the boys' dormitories. I was at complete peace with the world, and I think my brother's mutual feeling with nature helped a lot.

However, what marred the affectionate bonding between us was the sensation of someone walking behind us. I knew Yao felt it too, but we both kept silent. The moment was just too peaceful to draw attention to the presence, even if I was feeling a lot more scared than I was letting on.

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><p>So evening rolled around as I fiddled around in my Netbook, eating huge amounts of gelato in a plastic gallon tub that Feliciano gave me as souvenir when I dropped by his room to check the condition of his cold. I dunno why I'm this hungry. I usually don't care for sweet things this much. And I wasn't that crazy about this much ice cream either. Although when I think about it, eating a whole tub of frozen gelato in a warm summer night surely helps the heat away.<p>

I had finished about half of the gelato tub when I decided to go to the lavatory to wash my face. I put the rest of the gelato in the mini-fridge that stood in the corner (it was full of mainly Heracles's favorite food) and proceeded out of the door and into the corridor. I felt someone's gaze pricking into my back, but like before, I didn't mind it. I shrugged off the nasty feeling and continued in my way.

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><p>I was eating the rest of the gelato when Heracles finally arrived. He looked... pretty shaken. Which was saying something.<p>

"Um, do you want some?" I meekly asked, indicating the tub between my hands.

He simply shook his head slowly, then stripped off his shirt. I then proceeded to ignore him and went back to the task of proofreading my research work for World History.

"Hey... Kiku... Have you seen... Ivan Braginski..." he started to say. I dropped my spoon in shock.

"Senpai, why do you ask?" I said, my eyes widening and promptly fixing themselves on Heracles's face. He looked unnerved about something.

"He's right... outside our door... He looks really... intimidating..."

I froze, like a stray cat about to be hit by a car. "He what?"

"He's... there when I came in... He stared at me... as if I were a cat... and he the hunter..." he said in a low voice.

I breathed in, out, in, out. Many times. "I - are you sure?"

"Check him yourself..." was the maddening reply.

At this, I covered myself with a blanket and went into hikikomori mode. "I won't! I-I'll wait until dinner, thank you!"

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><p>Thankfully, when the dinner bell rang, Heracles pronounced that Ivan was already nowhere in sight. I was still rather afraid of the possibility of Ivan suddenly barging out of any of the trash cans around the dormitory, so I stuck to Heracles like glue, warily casting around for the mock-innocent face of the Russian everywhere. Thankfully, he didn't cross our path even once (heaven forbid that we meet multiple times a day!) as we went down to the dinner hall.<p>

I wasn't really hungry (I did ate copious amounts of gelato before this), but I still went down to dinner because I would like many thousands of times to face Ivan here where there are lots of people than to have him corner me in my room.

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><p>Again, no Ivan in my line of sight as I sat with Feliciano and Ludwig. Feliciano's cold was getting better (although he still sneezes more or less infrequently), and Ludwig was talking to me about some schoolwork-related topic. I felt - almost normal. Almost.<p>

Feliciano accompanied me to my dorm after dinner. I was glad to be in his talkative company, so I agreed.

"Naa, Feliciano," I said as we were about to part ways at my room. "You wouldn't know where Arthur-senpai's room is, by any chance?"

"It's on this floor too, right?" he said cheerfully. "You want me to point you there~?"

"Ah, yes," I said hastily, blushing profusely. Luckily, he didn't comment about that. "Where?"

We peeked out on the rest of the doors in the hallway. "There~!" he said, pointing at one. "Just beside the statue of the three Graces, to their right. You see?"

I saw a medium-sized statue of three women by the hallway. That must be it. "Um, I guess?"

"Okay then," Feliciano said enthusiastically. "I better get going, Kiku~! Good night~!"

"Oyasumi nasai, Feliciano-kun," I replied, and watched his slim figure dance down the staircase.

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><p>I am going to Arthur's room to give this diary to him, so please forgive me if I'll not write in this book for two days or so. Don't worry, I hope that lending him this diary to read is going to be more constructive for us.<p>

One knock, two seconds, and he opened the door. I handed him this diary. A bow, and I was gone.

-_sayonara from Kiku_

P.S. The stars are out tonight. Arthur-san, take care of this diary. Good night.

-_Kiku... out_

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><p><strong>AN2: So what d'you guys think? I was in fangirl mode when I was writing this and the Giripan version.**

**Next up: The Diary of the Absolutely Invincible British Gentleman!**

**Review!**


	8. A Bunch of Chrysanthemums

**A/N: Hello, I'm back! Enjoy a different perspective this time! I tried my best to define Arthur's character, so don't bash -! (*shot*)**

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><p><strong><em>The Diary of the Absolutely Invincible British Gentleman That is Me: Part One<em>**

_A Bunch of Chrysanthemums_

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><p>I dunno why I'm writing this. I don't even know why I got into this in the first place. All I remembered was that I asked Kiku to lend me this diary, and he agreed to loan me his "thoughts", on the outrageous condition that I should fill in the entries for the next two days.<p>

And here I am now. I'm not even sure how to begin writing this one. I'm currently buzzing my head out in front of my desk, my pen poised above paper, thoughts banging against each other.

Hey, you blokes out there, care to lend me a hand? Do I actually start this with a "Dear Diary"? Kiku doesn't, because, I dunno, maybe the custom wasn't familiar in his home, or he thinks it's too stuffy for his style. But well, how should I? I'm not into that greeting, myself.

I flicked through the pages of Kiku's diary. It has a plain black cover, its pages most likely recycled from his leftover notebooks. It was painstakingly tied together with black crochet wool (or at least, that's what it looked like) in a unique style. I can't make of this method of bookbinding, but it looked pretty simple yet tough.

I observed his English script - it was unusually legible and even kind of nice (considering that he must have spent three-fourths of his life writing in Japanese). It was also rather ten times neater than Alfred's rushing scrawl.

He was the owner of this diary, right? So maybe it would make sense if I direct these entries to him. So, let's go, shall we? And yeah, this is just the introduction.

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><p><em>Kiku,<em>

_Hey, it's Arthur. I just want to ask you, why make me do this? Um, I virtually can't write anything._

_Anyway, I'm finally writing because I considered that I've agreed to it, after all, and that it's mean for me to go back on a condition that I've already accepted. Uh, I guess you're now thinking that I'm thinking that I was just being forced by you and that's why I'm writing, but no, I'm not. I am not._

_It seems silly if I write in this as if I'm talking to the book itself, so pardon me if I'll address my entries to you. I mean, you'll read this anyway, so I figured why not write this in a letter form, addressed to you. It makes this... entry, or letter, or whatever, more intimate for me. None of that Francis's foolish quotes about intimacy. What I meant was that, I guess, like you, I could never say aloud the things that I want to say. And if things have gotten to the point where I just had to go and pour out all my feelings, I do it on paper._

_Maybe that is the main reason why I aspired to become a writer someday. Being a writer is not that profitable and also not that stable of a job, but I do want to write. So that things do not get so cluttered up so much in life._

_Well, I know that you know that my country has produced some of the most eloquent writers of the world. Well, I wasn't aspiring to be as famous as them (as if). I just hold them as my inspirations. It's not as if I'm going to be a playwright like Shakespeare or something, okay?_

_Ah, I'm really, uh, blabbering on right now. Sorry. So, um, I'll just... move on. Yeah._

_Well, it's a, um, lovely sunny afternoon in New York. The wind is great outside (judging from your entries, I should think that you love the wind). And, the landscape is really quite charming when you stare out from the window of the third-floor Geometry classroom. By the way, Geometry is my fifth period for Wednesday._

_I was watching Mr Burns draw planes on the board when my cellphone bloody rang. Yeah. And they call me the student council president. Great._

_Mr Burns stared at me pointedly, so I took it as permission to go outside and snap my phone open._

_"Yes, hello," I said irritably._

_"Hey, Arthur!"_

_I groaned. "Alfred? What the hell? Why are you calling?"_

_"Ah, I just want to ask if you're going to join the fun tonight?"_

_I turned suspicious, naturally. When Alfred's tone is excited and nervous at the same time, expect that he's up to nothing good. "Depends on what your definition of fun is."_

_"We're going to sneak out tonight and get in a pub!"_

_"What! Bloody no!" I grimaced. "And remember that you are currently talking about your outrageous, lawbreaking plans to the student council president! D'you think I'll allow you and your bloody mates to get out and get all drunk? I'll make sure this gets to the prefect. I really will!"_

_When Alfred replied, I almost pictured his face right now because of the smug tone. "Ah, you wouldn't dare, Arthur buddy."_

_"Don't ever tag me as a 'buddy' of yours, git," I snapped. "We're not mates, and in a situation like this, you're not even my stupid little brother. I'll never let you play your dumb games outside this campus. Not until the weekend comes!" And I looked around carefully before casually shouting into the phone, "And bugger off!"_

_I hit the 'End Call' button before he could reply with any one of his comebacks and stomped back into class._

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><p><em>I paid attention to the lecture for the rest of the class, albeit the nagging worry about the knowledge of Alfred's really harebrained schemes for tonight was still tugging at the back of my head.<em>

_I met Yao outside the room when the bell rang, and I noticed all of your Oriental siblings behind him in a rather disorganized line. He, well, he looked like a mother hen. Which makes your siblings his chicks. I didn't mean to offend, but that is what it looked like._

_"Hey, Yao," I casually called out to him._

_He just narrowed his eyes. "Is that the proper way to call an upperclassman, aru? You greet me as if we're close, aru yo. And go away, will you? My siblings here are all first-years, aru. I wouldn't want you sullying their lives this early in the year."_

_He was so venomous, that older brother of yours. I think I now know where you learned your sassing, which I got glimpses of in this diary. Or maybe this is hereditary?_

_Then the tallest one (Yong Soo, correct?) anchored his arm over Yao's neck and practically screeched, "Come on now, aniki, I'm starving. Go and fight it out later..."_

_"Get your hands off me, Yong Soo, aru!"_

_They bickered some more. When I felt like I wasn't needed in this scene anymore, I started to walk away, but the silent one, Xiao Chun, blocked my way._

_"Hey, eyebrows." His dark eyes kind of irked me._

_I scowled at him. How. Dare. Him. He's just a fresher, but he calls me as if we're close! Er, I felt I've seen this scene before..._

_"What's the matter, Oriental boy?" I returned._

_"Eyebrows, don't go picking off the prettiest flowers in the garden so brashly. Look, the beautiful rose has thorns." He smirked. "And sometimes, the delicate chrysanthemum has, too. You just don't see it, but it's there."_

_"What d'you mean?" I asked him rather harshly. "And everyone knows that all chrysanthemums have no thorns!"_

_He smiled at me rather... creepily. "In the metaphorical sense, they do." He shrugged. "And Sir Eyebrows, that pretty little chrysanthemum you're attempting to pick right now has a lot of thorns. Careful, you might get hurt. Or it's the other way round when you successfully pick it from its plant. Its stem has to be snapped in two, and the chrysanthemum then gets hurt. And no one cares."_

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><p><em>I hate to break it to you, Kiku, but I am so creeped out by that Xiao Chun kid. I mean, is he really like that? Is he, like, a scary version of a fortuneteller?<em>

_Wait, don't give me the answer. I know I'll just get a bit more upset._

_Then, can you just explain what he is trying to say? I was starting to think that it's an Oriental inside joke or something, really._

_When dismissal time came, I was still preoccupied by what Xiao Chun said, and I found myself wandering to the garden. I saw the chrysanthemums there. Some were a light pink, and others in shades of red and yellow. I picked off a delicate-looking pink one, breaking off its hard stem with my fingers in the process, just like what the kid told me. But, of course, there aren't any thorns. Of course. Not in the real world._

_But Xiao Chun told me that all chrysanthemums had thorns, metaphorically speaking. And that in picking them, either I or the chrysanthemum gets hurt. I hold the chrysanthemum to my nose and sniffed it. No significant smell, just that fresh scent that all freshly-picked flowers have. But still, it looked really complicated, its numerous petals arranged in a particular careful manner. Hey, isn't this the symbol for the Imperial Throne of Japan? I just remembered from your entry._

_I can't be bothered with any more vague hints. I put the flower in my bag's side pocket, its head peeking outside, and strolled off to the dorm, musing over an annoying kid's words. Yeah, I hate to admit it, but it's true._

_Well, my brain is bleeding from all this thinking, what with Alfred and Francis and Yao and the chrysanthemum thing that Xiao Chun told me and... Oh, bloody hell._

_I'll just continue this tomorrow. I'm finishing off the entry for today, since I don't want to have Alfred suddenly bursting through the door and grabbing this out of my hands. I did promise you, after all._

_So, until next time?_

_-Arthur_

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Ahaha, pretty short chapter. I was still having trouble with British English (I only inserted a minimum amount of British words here) because American English is what I'm used to. Anyways, I'm working on the second part, no fear!**

**And notes: When Arthur said "planes", he meant geometric ones. And I think the British don't use "airplanes" to refer to their "aircraft". (Um, am I right?) And when he said "Orientals", he meant "Asians".**

**Review?**


	9. Chrysanthemum Kisses

**A/N: If on the last chapter I was shot, I will now be double-shot! I so completely butchered this chapter!**

**Anyways, lots of chrysanthemum kisses from Arthur~**

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><p><strong><em>The Diary of the Absolutely Invincible British Gentleman That is Me: Part Two<em>**

_Chrysanthemum Kisses_

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><p><em>Kiku,<em>

_Good morning. Here I am, dawdling as we got into our seats in third-period World History class. You must be currently shut up in the Biology lab, listening to the ever-boring discussion about the cells, the tissues, and the organs that was first taught when you were in your junior year 5. I know that feeling. That feeling of knowing the topic already but can't complain about it because everyone else's so bloody interested._

_Well, I'm not so pernickety with details, so I'll just tell you that luckily, Alfred, the amazing gormless gump, heeded my advice for the first time and did not carry out his deep dark plans last night, since I even stood up late last night to guard him. I then figured he came into his senses, if there were any before. As such, I was yawning nonstop this morning._

_Kiku, one day, I'd like to see you chuffed into bits, because that'll really make my day so grand. Indeed._

_End of note._

* * *

><p>Well, I did see Kiku around lunch break, standing in the garden with a really faraway look in his eyes. Honestly, he looked as if he was seeing things that others, like me, cannot see.<p>

I just had to approach him. So I bloody approached him. As simple as that.

"Oi, Kiku." Sorry, Kiku. I'm not the suavest bloke in the world.

"Arthur-san." Oh, bollocks, Kiku's eyes just then almost scared my kecks off me. Hell. "What -?"

"Nothing at the moment." Can you tell that I'm nervous? Hopefully not...

"Ah, yes." Those dark eyes made a sort of downward flick and then startlingly rested on mine. I am going to so piss in my trousers... "Are you finishing up on your reading of my diary? I thought you were to return it after two days."

"Yeah. And my entries are so boring that you'll cry, I bet."

He laughed, so softly. "I rather think not." If only he'd sing again today. He had such a nice voice. I noticed that last time when I caught him practicing.

"Eh, whatever." I couldn't bloody think of anything to say. Oh, double bollocks.

Luckily, he seemed to take no notice of it. I walked over to the chrysanthemums again and looked over at his silent figure. He was... smiling, ever so slightly, as he saw me go toward them. Why?

"These chrysanthemums are so delicate and pretty," I said to break the silence, pressing on the center of one. It offered no resistance.

I heard a low laugh, like water rippling musically in the stream. It must be Kiku alone. No other.

"Yes. Although they are too delicate and pretty, if you ask me."

My eyes widened when he stepped beside me and touched the flower I have pressed on.

"In Japan, chrysanthemums are known as kiku flowers." He smiled at my expression. I must have looked really surprised. I am an idiot to forget that fact. It was on the diary, after all. "Delicate, pretty, complicated, pure. It is used to name the Imperial Throne. And the monarchy of the Chrysanthemum Throne is the oldest monarchy in the world." He traced a pale finger over the petals of the chrysanthemum, and I could not tear my eyes away. I am a hopeless git.

"It must be nice to be named after such a meaningful flower, then."

"I really... don't know." And with this, Kiku looked up at me with such clear eyes. "Normally, girls are the ones named after flowers, right? For me, flowers... are just for decoration only. No other purpose in life but to stand tall, look up, and make itself as pretty as possible so that no one steps on it accidentally." He looked down again. "I -"

At that moment, because this is my bloody life after all, the bloody bell rang. Kiku looked a little sorrowful, bowed at me, then walked away, my eyes following after his retreating figure.

I am such a hopeless idiot. And that was when I felt something in my heart click into place.

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><p><em>Kiku,<em>

_So your name is from that flower, eh? So what? All these thoughts were mixing deep within me. You looked so upset when you were telling me that you hated your name. Yeah, you didn't tell me that directly, but I just kind of got the gist._

_Kiku, you are wrong. Flowers aren't for decoration only. They are also the ones that sometimes bring life to other people. That's why you normally buy flowers for sick people, right? To will their pain away. To make them feel better._

_To assure them that, however gray their future may seem to them, there's always something that can bring back the color._

_Read this, and understand that you aren't for decoration purposes only. Okay? Say you understand. And the next time you need them, don't worry - I'll try to be the first one to bring you the flowers that you so desperately need. In the metaphorical sense, of course._

* * *

><p><em>This is starting to be less of a diary entry and more of a letter, huh. But hey, I can't really think of anything else but to tell you those things that I can't tell you in person. So while my chance lasts, I'll write and push out all the things that I want to say into the confines of paper.<em>

_Do you like to watch the birds fly? I do. And that is a sight that never fails to make me smile. After classes I usually goof out on the rooftop of the Main Building. And that is what I'm precisely doing now, looking at the sky, waiting for the occasional birds flying overhead, and writing on your diary._

_I've been seeing glimpses of you for the past year, pushing through classes day after day, dealing with your siblings, and what else. I thought you had it pretty easy. And when I read your diary, I have been proven wrong. Well, a nice one from me for your strong sense of Yamato spirit!_

_It's special class day tomorrow, so good luck on your siblings (especially that weird Xiao Chun bloke)._

_Once I return this to you, I'm almost sure that I can never write on it again. So let's get to point, shall we?_

_I think I now get the meaning of what you are trying to tell me by giving me this diary. My thoughts about you... You want to read them too, right? Because I really fail when it comes to straightforward talks. Can I give you some of them?_

_I think that... you are the most unreadable person I've met, but the easiest to discern in certain situations._

_I think you have good eyes. They're sort of like black tea with a little milk added on it. No offence meant. Don't reply that my eyes look like green tea or something, because I'll really jump off the roof from my corniness._

_I think that you have a nice complexion and hair. Well, I wouldn't say why I think so since it's my opinion, but never ever think that your hair is plain. Although it is true that dark hair is 'the' hair in Asia. But still._

_I think that faeries do exist, and that they are going to grant me one wish right now._

_I think that I now understand what Xiao Chun has to say, but I'll still pick that chrysanthemum that I have set my eyes on. Never fear._

_And... I think that I ought to go and pick that chrysanthemum right now._

_As in right NOW._

* * *

><p><em>Kiku, why did you open the door before I had time to knock? Oh, I almost died of surprise and nervousness when you pulled that door half-open and looked at me.<em>

_"Arthur-san?" Well, one thing's for sure, you looked as surprised as me._

_"Erm, h-hello," I said. During times like this, I admit that I'm the epitome of lameness._

_Well, I was surprised that you didn't flinch or anything because of my aforementioned lameness, but there you are. "Do you need anything from me?" you replied. Well, yeah. I need something so badly from you._

_But my lips just won't cooperate to voice out what I want to say. Bloody HELL!_

_Hell indeed. "Actually, I-I -" Okay, not the greatest scene in my life ever. "I just want t-to say that -" Then I took a deep, calming breath and looked at you. Hah, you looked so confused. "Hey, Kiku Honda, you already know that I can't say things that directly! And honestly, I really can't. Well, frankly, I can't put this into words. So I'll just -" Then I saw your dark eyes. Wide, and with a sliver of innocence remaining in them. I couldn't think straight._

_And the next moment, I just kissed you through the doorway. Oh-so-freaking kissed you._

_Since you don't have the diary right now, I'll just be the one to chronicle this... (blushing)_

_When we broke from the kiss, I swear I was so hot in the face that I felt like I was fainting already. And you were surprised, and looked a bit... amazed or something. Fortunately, I picked this moment when no one was at the hallway. Or else I would have died right there and then for pure shame at what I dared to do!_

_"Arthur-san, wha -?" Your voice was like, as amazed as I am._

_"I-I'm sorry for my rudeness." If I can blush any more, I just did. "Er - uh..."_

_You blushed and looked rather as uncomfortable as I am. "Ano, Arthur-san, it's m-my -"_

_I gulped. "Um, good evening, Kiku."_

_You looked puzzled. "Arthur-san, I -"_

_I looked into the depths of your eyes, tore myself away before I run back and kiss your red face again, and went back hesitatingly to my room without saying the words I want to say so badly._

_I love you, my little chrysanthemum. I love you, Kiku._

_I know. I admit I am the biggest cowardly moron in the planet._

_End of note number two._

* * *

><p>I stabbed absently at my uneaten dinner with a fork, thinking about that moment when you-know-what happened. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't notice Alfred sitting in front of me, clearly bemused at my strange behavior.<p>

"Oi. Arthur. Arthur."

My head snapped up, and I noticed his grinning face. "W-what?" I spluttered, going red in the face.

"You look strange, dude. Whazzup?" he said, leaning back into his chair and smirking. "What are you thinking of?"

"Bugger off, Alfred." I pushed back my plate and stood up. "And you can eat that for me. I'm not hungry."

He looked at me, puzzled, smugness washing away at my lack of argument. "Are you sick, bro? What's gotten into you?"

I scowled at him. "Don't ask if you don't want to get thrown out of the window later while you're sleeping, Al. Don't try my temper tonight." I stalked off and set straight for the boys' dormitories, hands deep in my pocket and blushing furiously.

I swore to myself that I wouldn't sleep tonight until I tell him. I've waited almost a year, so why not now?

* * *

><p>I waited just outside of his room, nervous and as shaky as a leaf.<p>

"Oi, ¡hola, Arthur."

Great timing, Antonio.

"What d'you want?"

The freaking Spaniard grinned. "What are you doing outside Heracles's door? Looks like someone wants to camp out tonight in the hallway, eh?"

"None of your bloody business, okay? Just go back to your bloody room and get some sleep. I think you need that because if Lovino was to bang at my door every night or so, I wouldn't get enough sleep either."

He chuckled good-naturedly. "Ah, yes, Lovinito is a noisy guy, but he's cuter when noisier, I think."

"You've got a twisted definition of what 'cute' is, then."

He laughed. "Ay, the British is pissed off."

I snapped, "Well, the Spaniard is bloody pissing him off."

He grinned and walked off. "Make sure your sword stays sharp, amigo."

"I'm not a bloody friend of yours."

"Whatever."

* * *

><p>I was considering to follow Antonio's advice of camping outside in the hallway for the night when Kiku came upstairs with Lovino's freaky younger brother.<p>

"Ah, hello, Arthur-san."

"Hello, I guess."

"I better leave you guys, I'm so sleepy~" The Italian skipped off down. I sighed at the good riddance.

"You're here again, Arthur-san. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

"Yeah, actually, there is."

"Tell me then, before you run off like what you did before." He smiled.

"I didn't bloody run off! I just -" I can't think of anything to say to defend my side of the story. His smile turned really triumphant.

"See? You can't say anything." I just want to wipe that knowing smirk from his face. That's how competitive I am. "Anyway, excuse my impoliteness, but what is that urgent thing you want to say to me, Arthur-san?"

I took a really slow and deep breath before saying the words out loud.

"I - love you."

He stared at me with something akin to awe and amazement. I bowed my head, feeling like such a stupid moron when the latter didn't answer immediately. Hell, I'm so nervous that I was ready to throw up.

"Would you like to enter my room, Arthur-san? I think it would be better to tell me more inside."

I looked up quickly and met his eyes, which were smiling.

I grimaced. "Come on, don't make me feel like a total gump. And react properly to my confession... or something."

"I don't think that you are an idiot, Arthur-san. And to tell you the truth, I am really surprised." Such bright dark eyes! "Although it would be more prudent to discuss this matter inside."

* * *

><p>I sat on the chair in his study table. He gently pushed a glass of cold tea in my hands, sat on the bed, and I noticed a faint blush dusting his cheek. I couldn't help blushing too.<p>

"So, Arthur-san..."

I flinched slightly at Kiku's light tone. "Um..." Oh, great. The tension is building up, up, up!

"You came here to tell me that you love - me?" he asked, eyes carefully on the wooden floor.

I felt like one of those freaking heroes in those freaking cliché love novels that Francis always reads. Yeah.

"Um, that's about the gist of it." I took a sip of the tea, the chill of the ice in my throat.

He looked at me. I had no idea what was going on in that head of his. "And you came here without no fear of rejection?"

"Well, that was barely on my mind." And he smiled at my confidence.

"You are a bold one, Arthur-san. But I like it." He then switched to a serious tone. "Arthur-san, tell me. How can you be so sure that you love me? It's not even the end of the first quarter of the school year." He crossed his arms. "And to tell you the truth, whirlwind romances die fast."

"Well, if you think I just realized that I have feelings for you this year, well, I didn't. It started way back last year. I think you just didn't notice my attention, because judging from all those entries in your diary, you had a traumatic first year in high school." I leaned forward in my chair. "I really admired how you kept up with all the challenges that Fate throws your way. You just didn't let your fighting spirit bow you down."

He stared at me, dumbstruck. Then he remembered to speak. "You were... watching -?"

"Yeah." I was blushing again. "Um, I'm not a stalker, if you're thinking along those lines, but - well, I just noticed you whenever you're at the library, or when you were spending your time at the greenhouse, or any other old time when we pass each other in hallways..."

Oh, great. He was blushing so pink that I just had to laugh. He snapped his head up at me, annoyed.

"I'm sorry. You look really... adorable when you turn red like that." I backtracked when he didn't smile. "Sorry again."

He sighed and looked away, eyebrows drawn together.

"You okay, Kiku? Are you now irritated because I -?"

He shook his head. "Arthur-san, I am not irritated. I am furious." He gazed at me. "You have the gut to kiss me earlier in the day, but yet you passed the chance to tell me and ran. Pray tell, are you playing on me or something?"

"Bloody no!" I gasped, shocked. "I would never!"

His expression turned slightly amused at my reaction. "It seems as if you're telling the truth, Arthur-san," he remarked. "Seeing that you looked so desperate to convince me that your intentions are -"

"I have honest intentions," I said quickly.

He laughed with obvious amusement at my anxiousness. I froze, marveling at what musical sounds can come from stoic, icy Kiku Honda when delighted.

"I know, Arthur-san." He blinked at me benevolently. "I know."

At that moment, something smooth and slightly moist brushed on my lips. I couldn't think straight. I must be dreaming. But it's happening.

The sensation vanished.

A low whisper tickled my face. "I gladly accept your feelings, Arthur-san." He drew away, and I saw he was blushing. Cute.

"Does that mean that -?"

"I think so."

* * *

><p>Good evening, Diary-san, if I may use that honorific. I am... well, I can't accurately describe the feeling. It was as if I am feeling all sensations at once. I think I'm going crazy with happiness.<p>

I'll return you to your red-faced owner now. And may I ask you to tell him one thing?

Tell him I love him. Sincerely.

-_Cheers, Arthur_

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><p><strong>AN2: Review? This is the longest chapter so far! With a record of 3,500 words!**


	10. Tayutau Kurokami Asu Wa Karashiiro

**A/N: Uhm, hello to those reviewers and readers who've liked the last chapter. I've read and reread it too, and in my opinion, Arthur was so overkill! Anyways, time for a little rambling. I've watched the Hetalia seiyuu event on YouTube before writing this whole story, and Kiku's seiyuu was, well, as quiet as his character, because he rarely says a word unless it's his turn. Or was Ludwig's seiyuu just a bit talkative? (Nya, Takahashi-san's so reserved, unlike Francis's seiyuu, who was a bit in-character.) And well, Arthur's seiyuu is an instant crush! Although I've heard him before on Naruto as Sasuke, I swear, his role as the United Kingdom is my most memorable role of him! Now when I watch Sasuke's scenes, I keep hearing Arthur. Yeah, but in a really dangerous voice that would have Francis and Alfred both on their knees. Oh, and I really loved their seiyuu perform the live reading of the "Ghost Culture of England and Japan"...;) Unfortunately, no subs. But hearing their voices are enough! And I admit, I already memorized their lines from that episode, so no fear!**

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><p><em>Month 2. May.<em>

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><p><em>たゆたう黒髪 明日は芥子色<em>  
><strong><em>Tayutau Kurokami Asu Wa Karashiiro<em>**

_Day 17. Wednesday._

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><p><em>Time<em>: 8:12 am.

So it seems that April passed by in a blur, and I'm writing today in the back of my Spanish Language notebook. I took Spanish as an elective because... it's high time to learn something in the European languages department other than English. And because I know Yong Soo won't sign up here. FYI, he's currently in Mandarin Chinese.

Anyway, moving on to totally unrelated topics, I've observed that a quarter of the student population had their hair dyed. I knew if a student had his or her hair dyed by hints. Then, I go to the question: Would it look good on me if I had my hair dyed? Um, just a dark brown shade or something... (trails off)

And regarding Arthur-san, who himself had lighter hair... I was really surprised when he took up my challenge and wrote his quota of two entries. I was pleased at the last one he wrote since he had thought to include that moment when he brashly told me that he loved me. Meh. Even with a few days between that incident and today's date, I still blush whenever I remember.

Well, the funny matter was, I admired him too. Last year, he became one of the most memorable students of the year because he ran for the position of student council president for the second time, the first time being when he was in first year!

It was a bold thing for a sophomore to do. It kinda... inspired me, the way he topped the election. He was the youngest candidate since all of his opponents were juniors.

That was my image of Arthur Kirkland, a person who sets his sights on a target and shoots without abandon until he hits it, no matter the obstacles of age and experience. He knew he could perform the duties of a student council president, so he took the risk. And won effortlessly, since I didn't have to tell you how popularized he was by that incident in his first year.

That was what I loved the most about him. We were absolute polar opposites in some things. But we agree in other matters also. We are both uptight, proud individuals with a façade to keep up in front of everybody. We are status quo abiders outside, but inside us, there is a fierce burning that yearns to break all the effing rules!

I strictly told him to keep everything that happened between us in the past days a total secret. I was loath to spill the news to my siblings, since Yao will never let me hear the end of it. He always told me that I must put my studies first. Before everything. And I have always taken his words seriously. More seriously indeed, than the rest of my siblings.

Another item of interest that I have noticed in his entries was the "chrysanthemum thing" with the "creepy Xiao Chun kid." I was a little puzzled to learn that Xiao Chun told him such a thing. Was he aware of something between us, I wonder? But Xiao Chun has been known to be quiet, and quiet persons tend to be a little more observant than most people.

And I wonder about those metaphorical somethings. Has he been reading Murakami Haruki again? I told him not to touch my things!

* * *

><p>The day was... hot. There's no other word to describe it. When recess rolled around, I didn't even attempt to go outside. The sun was too sharp today.<p>

Well, I wasn't surprised to see half of the student population staggering around by the time the bell rang. I was feeling a little lightheaded myself. And yeah, if you're here, you'll see all of the guys with their vests off. It was as if we're in the middle of freaking Death Valley rather than just in New York. Maybe it was the climate change thing.

I was getting heavy-eyed by the time my sixth period came up. Feliciano was already drooping like a wilted daisy in his seat, and Alfred was snoozing openly behind me, his head lolling on the back of my chair. The only person who looked unintimidated by the heat was cheerful Tino Väinämöinen, who, I think, rather enjoyed frisking in the heat. He was so hardy when it came to sudden temperature swings.

I looked around at the teacher, who was lecturing about the concept of democracy, and sneakily felt around my bag for a lemon drop. I carefully unwrapped the sweet and put it on my tongue. I had to have something else to do or I'll end up like Alfred behind me, who was currently preoccupied with the task of drooling all over the back of my chair. I resolved to lean forwards onto my desk for the rest of the period.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Kiku." There was no mistaking that clipped accent and that brilliant nervous smile. Arthur casually put an arm over my shoulders and steered me to the direction of the boys' dormitories.<p>

"A-ano, Arthur-san, I thought we had discussed the thing about public -"

"Yeah. But this way, we should look like friends to the casual observer and still have skin contact. Just don't tense up so much or they'll think I'm bullying you. You just look like the type who -"

"Hai, hai. Don't get me started." I tried to shrug a little. "Your arm is so heavy."

"Why d'you complain about the weight of my arm? I'm not a girl, anyways." He poked my hair with his free hand.

"Stop it, Arthur-san."

"Just enlivening you up a little, Kiku."

"Ah, is this your idea of livening me up? I guess it's working."

"Wait, are you being sarcastic on me or something?"

"In a way."

"Such a sweet Oriental bloke, are you, lad."

"Same to you." When he poked my hair teasingly again, I muttered "_ah, chikushou_" so quietly that he didn't catch it.

"Huh?"

Nothing. Just my potty mouth.

* * *

><p>I trudged up the stairs with Arthur, when we met Yao all of a sudden on the steps. I quickly shrugged Arthur's arm off, but I did think Yao had seen it. His eyes had traveled suspiciously from me to Arthur, who had quickly settled into an expression of boredom, as if we have been doing nothing more than to talk about our day to each other. My face was rearranged into a careful blank, as always.<p>

"Ah, Kiku."

"Good afternoon, aniue." I smiled blandly at his probing amber eyes.

"And Arthur, aru. Aiyaa, what a surprise. I wouldn't have thought that you two were close enough to go up together, aru."

"Not really, Yao," Arthur replied easily, unfazed. "We just sort of bumped into each other in the library, and we agreed to go back here together."

"Is that so, aru ka?" Yao looked more suspicious still, but he thankfully kept his thoughts to himself. "Then go on your way now, aru. I'll be going, aru yo."

"Yes, a good day again, aniue," I said, bowing.

A slight tilt of the head, and Yao was gone. I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Arthur chuckled. I stared at him mock-pointedly, a smile curling my lips.

"Hello to you two. Having fun, da?"

Oh yeah. Ivan Braginski was also going down the stairs. Just the thing to lower my morale down. I sobered up considerably.

"Hey, fancy meeting you here, Ivan," Arthur cheerfully greeted him. He mustn't have known that I hated the Russian that much. "How are you? It's been very hot."

"Isn't it? But I love warm weather, da~!" He turned to me, violet eyes sparkling. "What about you, Kiku-kun? Don't you just love the weather today? Such a nice change!"

"Not really, senpai," I said in a clipped tone. I didn't dare look him in the face or I'll just freak out. "In Japan, the most ideal seasons are spring and autumn. Summer and winter are extremes there, so you can say that I'm used."

"Oh, is that so?" Ivan smiled at my rigid posture. "Arthur-kun, I'll just return that book that you loaned me next week. It was utterly fascinating! See you around, then? Kiku-kun, you too!"

"Okay, Ivan. See you." Arthur replied, grinning as the huge Russian walked past us, taking his ominous aura with him. His smile faltered when he saw me. "All right, Kiku?"

"Yes," I said shortly. He looked worried at the sudden change of my mood, so I gave him a slight smile. He didn't look utterly convinced, though.

* * *

><p>I dumped my bag on my bed and sat at my study table. I was sweating rather profusely, I don't know if from the heat or from Ivan's creepy smile, but anyway, the fatigue of the day got into me, and after changing into more comfortable clothes, I was soon on the bed and sleeping my problems off.<p>

I dreamed a weird dream about chrysanthemums... and voices. I was in the midst of a great field of the flowers, all in various colors (although the dominant color was eerily white), and their subtle scents merged as one so that I can smell them so strongly. Petals were gliding all around me - I felt oddly peaceful although everything else was dark. I was calm in the quiet.

"Kiku." A-Arthur-san?

I looked around for the source of the voice, but I was alone. As before.

"Arthur-san, where are you?"

"Kiku... Kiku!"

I was bewildered. The flowers swayed unceasingly to one direction as the wind buffeted us all. More petals were torn from their flowers and rushed past me, engulfing my body in a torrent.

When it cleared, I was horrified. The chrysanthemums had all turned pitch-black in color. The black petals swept me up, and then turned into an impenetrable darkness. And that's when I woke up, sweating and shivering at the same time.

* * *

><p>I went down to dinner with a rather distracted air. Feliciano was stealing worried glances at me ever since we met up at the hall. I must have worn a "don't-touch-me-or-I'll-seriously-kill-you" expression, because for once, he didn't comment or ask me about it. Well, depends. My face felt normal, anyways.<p>

Dinner was great. I had a slice of salted salmon and some pickled vegetables, all above steaming white rice. I ate everything (almost without care about what I was putting in my mouth - as long as it was in my bowl, I ate it) and didn't leave a single rice grain left.

When I was draining the dregs of my orange juice, I felt a light tapping on my shoulder. I looked up and saw, yeah, Alfred, a lopsided grin plastered on his face. I couldn't help but smile secretly at his expression.

"Can I join you? If it's not too much trouble." He held up an enthusiastic thumb. Service with a smile, eh? Not that he was carrying out a particular service for me at this moment in time.

"Funny, I seem to think that it's the first time that you've ever asked permission to disturb me."

"Aww, don't be cold, Kiku my buddy." He settled on the chair beside mine, his thousand-watt smile still in place. I looked suspiciously at his plate, which had a large triple cheeseburger and a handful of fries ("chips," Arthur would insist) on it.

Well, I thought I was the person with the most unhealthy diet and appetite in the whole campus, but poof, Alfred came and stole the title out of my hands. And can you even call that burger on his plate a dinner? Yao will beat me to death if I ever dare to attempt eating items that he would consider as snack food on the dinner table back at home. That's Alfred for ya.

"Alfred! There you are!" Another long and lanky blond with glasses but with slightly wavy hair took up residence on the chair beside Alfred's, dumping a bottle of ketchup on the table in front of the latter followed by a plate of what looked like pancakes drowned in maple syrup. Another food weirdo, then...

"Hey, Matt! Thanks for the ketchup, I forgot to get some." Alfred gave the latter a grateful slap on the shoulders whose strength would have had me sprawling on the floor. But Matt just grinned.

"That's why I brought some," he remarked sagely.

"Er, excuse me, but -" I said tentatively, not wanting to seem rude and all. "W-who -?"

"Oh, that's right. This guy's Matthew Williams, my younger twin brother." Alfred's grin widened.

"O-oh, have we met somewhere -?" I was saying flusteredly, making Matt looked depressed.

"Yeah, Kiku, we're classmates last year, right?" he said dejectedly, eyebrows drooping.

"Oh!" I said, shocked. "I-I'm sorry, yes, you were..." Matt looked mollified, and resumed a kind smile again.

"That's okay. Others ignore me a lot too, so it wouldn't surprise me that topnotcher Kiku Honda will forget me, seeing that you must be studying such an awful lot."

"Um, yeah, well, I'm still sorry. You're in Ludwig-san's class too, yes?"

"Apology accepted, Kiku. And yes, Ludwig is a classmate of mine."

Alfred was already finished with his burger just as we were finishing the conversation. Frankly, I was shocked at the record time. Tell me, did he forget to chew first before swallowing or what?

Anyways, while he was starting on his fries (which were smeared plentifully with the ketchup, by the way), he had put his idle arm around my shoulders. I was again shocked at this casual gesture (what were those Westerners thinking?), and I told him that I wasn't really comfortable with the idea of his arm around me. He grinned playfully.

"Aw, c'mon. Iggy's doin' it to you, so why can't I? And obviously, we're closer 'cause we're seat mates."

I groaned mentally and tried to muster up the gut to argue, but he wasn't listening. His arm just tightened around me as he went on talking about his day to Matthew, who was smiling apologetically at me for his brother's action but not commenting on it. I groaned inwardly again.

"A-ano, Alfred-kun..."

Alfred poked my hair playfully. "You're such a prissy."

Just so that you know, I don't really let anyone touch me anywhere since, well, it feels really annoying for me. It's okay if Mei or one of my siblings, and maybe even Arthur, tried to mess with me on the subject of physical contact, but Alfred wasn't that, um, close to me. So of course, I acted like the "prissy" that was me. Yeah, I'm so touchy when I felt like it.

So understand me if what I want to do so badly now was to get the annoying guy beside me in the face. It's because I am stuck-up just like that. And I was about to do just that when -

"Oi, Alfred!"

Arthur, just the man to save me from the clutches of the dark being beside me - oh, I meant Alfred. "Bullying others around, I see!"

Alfred grinned at his older brother. "Wasn't," he answered cheekily. Jerk.

"Get your bloody arm off him then, git! He looks as if he's scared to death by you!"

"A-ano, Arthur-san, it's okay, really..." I stammered.

"Don't start, Kiku," Arthur snapped, evidently upset with the fact that Alfred was, well, touching me. I wasn't too fond of the idea, myself, so I can't really blame him for his attitude now. "And drop the arm, moron!" He snarled at Alfred.

Alfred took his arm away, clearly not pleased with Arthur's doings, and jokingly held up his hands. "All clean, officer," he said, grinning. "No other weapons."

"Shut up, idiot!" Arthur grimaced. "I'm not playing around with you, if that's what you're doing!" He glared pointedly at me, then turned back to Alfred. "And keep your mitts to yourself, or I'll blow them off faster than Basch can, git!" He stormed off, as if his evening was ruined successfully by Alfred.

"What's up with Arthur?" Matthew whispered, wide-eyed.

"Undergoing PMS, maybe," Alfred muttered, poking at his plate. "He looked as if he's totally pissed off. And I was just friggin' putting my arm over Kiku. What could be wrong with that?" Then he looked with puppy-dog eyes at me. "And you're okay with that, so what's his effin' prob, Kiku?"

"Maybe we just need to understand Arthur-san, I mean, he must be tired and all, being the student council president and a student at the same time, Alfred-kun," I suggested shyly. I purposely avoided the last question (although it was admittedly rhetorical), but luckily, Alfred didn't notice. Matthew, however, was looking at me with suspicious eyes, so I backtracked. "Erm, I should go now, Alfred-kun, Matthew-kun. We have early classes tomorrow."

"Yeah, well," Alfred mumbled darkly, scowling.

"Eto, I'll see you tomorrow in class, then," I hastily said, bowing and exiting the hall for the safety of my room.

* * *

><p>I keep expecting Arthur in the hallway outside of my room as I climbed the stairs, and I was not disappointed. He looked horribly weary, so I let him enter the room to comfort him with some of Heracles's soda. I'm sure he wouldn't mind.<p>

He gratefully accepted the drink, downing his glass in just three gulps. I noted that worriedly. He must have had a bad afternoon after escorting me to the dormitory earlier, since he was cheerful when he accompanied me to my room.

"Can you tell me your problem, Arthur-san?" I said as gently as I could. Arthur may be the toughest student in the campus (he has to be), but he can also crack under the proper amount of strain.

"Ah, nothing," he said with a tired smile. "I was just tired of telling off people whom I've just realized won't ever really listen to me, regardless of how many times I tell them to act accordingly." He placed his empty glass beside my alarm clock. I tried to smile, and he seemed grateful at the gesture.

"You know, you have a nice smile, very different from the Alfred-style of smile. Maybe you're not much used to it, but I'd appreciate it more if you smile like that more around other people. Else I'll think you're robbing them of something that they should see once in their lives." He chuckled when I blushed and lowered my eyes to the floor.

"I'll take mental note of that," I said dryly.

"Well, Kiku, might as well leave before Heracles spots us here." Arthur stood up and gave me a smile that was freed from its tiredness a while ago. "And might as well sleep early. I don't have the confidence to face Alfred tonight. I think I hurt the bloke's feelings. I was a little too tired, after all. And thanks for the smile. It made me feel a lot better." He gave a sort of sad chuckle. I stood up and accompanied him to the door.

"A-ano, Arthur-san," I stammered as he stepped outside.

He turned to me. "What?"

"Oyasumi... nasai."

I think he might have understood, since he smiled and replied with a "Goodnight too."

He closed the gap between our lips for a prolonged moment, then walked back to his room with his right hand raised in a sort of farewell. I smiled, relishing the feel of his lips on mine, and was about to go back when a hand suddenly shot out and took hold of the doorknob so that I can't close it immediately. Surprised, I opened the door wider to see a serious-looking Matthew on my doorway, his eyes glancing at the stairs and the hallway and confirming that there are no stragglers before finally looking at me.

"Um, Matthew-kun, what can I do for you?" I said nervously.

"So you're together with Arthur now?" he asked, worry written in his features as if expecting me to swallow him whole after the question.

He must have seen us in the hallway, so I felt it useless to lie. "Yes," I said slowly and quietly.

I heard a sharp intake of breath from Matthew. "So that's why he reprimanded Alfred like that? Because he's jealous?"

I quickly shook my head. "No. I think it's just the day's fatigues getting the better of him, that's why he reacted strongly when he saw Alfred touching me. If there was jealousy involved (which I know was also involved), it can only be a very little amount."

Matt seemed thoughtful for a moment, pulling at a strand of his hair.

"I guess, but that doesn't change the fact that you're together with our older brother now. It'll really piss Alfred off." He said this in a really quiet voice that I wasn't sure if he said it like that or if I was just imagining it.

"What did you say, Matthew-kun?" I said lightly.

He frowned lightly, then smiled at me uncertainly. "Oh, it was nothing, just thinking aloud. I must really go, Kiku. Sorry for disturbing you."

"No, it's all right." When Matt made as if to go on his way, I found myself grabbing his arm. He looked at me, alarmed.

"Matthew-kun, don't tell anyone about us... please?"

He stared at me blankly, then said in a hollow voice, "I won't."

"Then goodnight." I released him, and he went up the stairs. I went inside my room again, sighing. This secret was getting some more people involved now. If I let my guard down, Yao will hear of it and he'll flatten me like the dumpling dough he always beats at home.

"Chikushou!" I muttered under my breath. Yeah, even prim, proper Kiku Honda has the right to curse sometimes.

This was getting harder, Diary-san. You'll keep our secret, right?

-Kiku out

P.S. I just wish Matt keeps his promise. He didn't look pleased when I made him not tell it to anyone.

P.P.S. It's Boys' Day in my country tomorrow. It's a pity I can't attend the festival. It was fun watching the carp kites flying.

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Review, guys! And I just introduced a new character who just might complicate things further...**

**And yeah, Kiku told himself "damn it" two times.**

**This chapter has a whopping 4,000+ words. Yup, bully me.**


	11. In A Closed Mouth, No Fly Enters

**A/N: Oh, not now, I've been hacked! Gerroff this page, Gil~!**

_-(sputzzzz...)-_

**Nice. Kesesese. I'm the awesome one who just hacked this page! I mean, who stole this diary. Just you wait, Kiku Honda, until you see what I've written here! Kesese. Now to the actual chapter, Author-san! I'm writin'!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Return of the Diary of the Awesome Me<strong>_

_"In A Closed Mouth, No Fly Enters"_

* * *

><p>I am AWESOME! 'Cause only awesome ones can get people's heavily-guarded things without being detected! Kiku Honda sure is naïve to think that I can't steal this off the hook!<br>Well, buddy, Heracles is asleep. So you can't rely too much on his ability to guard your things. Awesome! Kesesese.

I don't need to tell you the full awesomeness of the story of how I got this diary. Dude, awesome dudes go by awesome deeds. And I am sure that you all guys know how awe-inspiring I am! So no need to explain. Just know that I did it so awesomely that West himself will bow to me. Yes!

* * *

><p><em>May 5th<em>

Dear Diary,

I was so awesome today. You can tell, 'cause I'm not writing in your pages but on this one. Kesesese. Awesome, right?

Actually, Gilbird was the one who thought of the idea on how to nick this diary. Dude, that chick on my head sure is as awesome as I am!

For the whole week, I shall write here, and let's see if Honda won't die from my sheer awesomeness at nabbing this diary of his.

* * *

><p><em>May 6th<em>

Dear Diary,

I was so awesome today, you know! But of course you already know that! Kesesese.

I was rereading this diary, and I was so blown with those postscripts that I've written on the entries. The newer entries weren't baptized with my awesomeness, so I obligingly wrote postscripts on them. Kesesese, hope he doesn't get mad!

I was surprised when I read that he was now with Kirkland. I never liked the guy much since he's pretty much the reason why I was tagged as the most notorious lawbreaker in the campus. Dude, that was so not awesome. But well, I forgive him, 'cause I know he's just showing off his own brand of awesomeness. Of course, he's not as awesome as me!

There, I now finished the postscript for his entry on the fourth of May.

* * *

><p><em>May 7th<em>

Dear Diary,

Berwald, that huge Swedish batch mate of mine, was easily the most intimidating dude I've ever known. He has this gang of guys from Scandinavia, and I'll just list their names quick so that you'll know what they look like. Seriously, you need it to know who you're up against when the awesome me is not around.

First off is Tino Väinämöinen, that naïve-looking Finnish dude from the second year. He's Kiku Honda's mate, I guess. No need to be afraid of him, he's really a good guy. Maybe he just hooked up with those guys 'cause they're from the same area, hell. He has a kind smile, violet eyes (oh, just like that Ivan Braginski), and blond hair. Shortest of Them so far. He stands at 170 cm when he wears a hat. Hm.

Then that Berwald jerk. His surname is Oxenstierna, and he's Swedish. Has blond hair, and greenish-blue eyes. Thankfully, he's the only one of Them that has glasses, so beware! Gilbird, I'll do my awesome best to stand up to him once he tries to mess with me! He's the tallest of Them. 182 cm, as tall as Ivan. And as intimidating.

The next three were obscure guys, so I'll just describe their appearance to you briefly.

Next is Simon Densen, a Dane, and another jerk. He's got all this air in his large punk head. Blond hair, blue eyes. His hair, though, looked as if it should be tamed down a bit. Just a note, Simon is a total talker. Junior year, he is.

Emil Steilsson is an Icelander. He's got white hair like me, but mine's more awesome, betcha! He's also got blue eyes, and I think Ivan's interested in him. Just a hunch. He's suspicious of Ivan, though. He's a freshie.

Last is the most... er, expressionless guy I knew. He surpasses Kiku Honda in the scary stare department! He's stoic, but his eyes bore in you. I mean, I'm not scared at all! I'm awesome, after all! It's just creepy, the way he stares. His name is Lukas Bondevik, and he's Norwegian. Of course, blond hair, dull blue eyes. He's also got this creepy curl. Creepier than Kiku's younger brother's curl which has a face on it (the Korean?), yeah. And he has a cross barrette on his hair. It suits him, I think. He's a junior too. Simon's best chum. I'm not sure, but I know Emil and Lukas are half-brothers or something. Not my business, anyway.

Anyways, that's all of them, dear diary. Watch out if you see them. I may not be there to save you awesomely. Kesesese. Just warning ya.

* * *

><p><em>May 8th<em>

Dear Diary,

I got into trouble with that jerk Berwald! It resulted into a black eye for me and a swollen lip for him. Hah. Gotcha, bastard. Of course, this incident didn't make me any more popular to the short temper of our beloved student council president, Arthur Kirkland.

"I would expect you seniors to act your age!" he fumed as he led the way to the office of the prefect of discipline. I wasn't trying to listen, but his voice was grating me. "Especially you, Mr. Beilschmidt. Especially after that crazy incident with Roderich Edelstein that happened in the school's underground premises. Thank your angels that Mr. Edelstein decided not to press charges against your outrageous behavior, or else the student council will have a bloody field day and I will have your expulsion served up for the feast."

"Sheesh. That's nothing to him. He just got a scratch." I put my hands in my pockets and whistled. Then I hit upon a comeback. "Hey, seems like you're gettin' closer to my younger bro's buddy Kiku Honda." He didn't respond, not even twitch an eyelid, so I said quietly, "Kissed him yet?"

Bingo! He blushed and looked irked. "Shut up, Beilschmidt, or I'll appeal to the headmaster to have you kicked out of World W Academy for good!" Hey, he forgot the "mister" part.

"Well, well, Kirkland. Such a nice tone of voice to your upperclassman." I smirked. Setting up someone's temper like this is so fun. "Anyways, Honda's cute. Wouldn't put it past you. He's smart too, and as sharp as your tongue." He glared at me, but didn't reply. "And I kinda have a soft spot for him too. He's my bro's friend, after all." My smirk widened when he kept up his irritated silence (evidently he was going to burst off all his buttons if this gets longer). Berwald wasn't paying any attention to our conversation, I think, but hell if he did.

There. I pissed Arthur off. Hahah. He didn't know that I knew. Sorry, pal. Ain't gonna tell ya that I know. Because I am that awesome, apparently.

* * *

><p><em>May 9th<em>

Dear Diary,

I guess I am just the awesomest, badassest of them all. Bet I didn't need to tell you that 'cause you already know. Right, Gilbird? Yeah, that's right!

What's awesome today was when I told Honda that I had his diary after dinner. He looked confused, then he looked (no jokes, now) really furious. Or as furious as a pair of horrified brown eyes and red cheeks can convey. He looked really flabbergasted.

"G-Gilbert-senpai? You -?" He was real cute. Damn, I now know why Arthur Kirkland fell for him. "You're the one who -?"

"I just told ya, Honda. Or are you deaf or somethin'?" I poked his cheek. He didn't respond, which worried me since he was usually so timid about physical contact. Wow, maybe I really hit him hard. Sorry?

He stared at me with a serious face, apparently deciding on something. He grasped me tightly on the arm, and with surprising strength that I didn't expect to come from his slight build, he steered me to a secluded corner.

"What're you -?"

"Senpai," his eyes got really big and worried, "What do you know? What have you read?"

I tore my arm away from his hold. "What're you doing, Honda?"

He didn't even blink. "Just answer me, senpai!"

I leaned in to him closer. "Oh, did you mean that entry where Arthur wrote that he kissed you? Shucks. Is it really that big?"

He let out a hiss. "Yes." His eyes were steely. "Have you told -?"

I shook my head. "Nah. It's cool with me if you're going out with Kirkland, anyway. I don't have anything against him. And I have no intention of telling anyone, so don't sweat it."

He looked really relieved. "Thanks."

"No prob." Then I grinned. "Is he a good kisser, by the way?"

He blushed horribly and glared. "Senpai!" he gasped.

"Just kidding."

He looked reproachfully at me. "That's something that I don't have to answer, senpai."

"I know. So you are now shot with the arrow of first love, eh?" I said jokingly, thumping him on the shoulder lightly.

"First love?" He glanced at me strangely. "Senpai..."

* * *

><p><em>May 10th<em>

Dear Diary,

It's now Tuesday, two entries to go before I return this diary to Honda's possession.

I'm awesome, dude. That's what you need to remember. Because I really liked picking on Edelstein. The jerk. I dunno why Lizzie even picked that prick. I mean, I'm more awesome, right?

Edelstein is a frigging prude. He isn't just thrifty, he's FRUGAL. In the way a vegan is worse than a vegetarian. I don't know how he goes out with Liz. I 'spect he takes her to the park and gets out his homemade kuchen. Hah. Can't spend too much money even to save his life.

He may look really classy, but the only classy thing about him is his music. Why? 'Cause he always plays CLASSY-cal. Joke.

Gotta stop talking 'bout him. I feel really pissed. And depressed. Lizzie, _why_?

* * *

><p><em>May 11th<em>

Dear Diary,

You know who's awesome today? O' course, it's me. Who else? Feli-chan. He cooked some awesome pasta for me. I dunno where he got the ingredients and the materials to make it, but he cooked too much and gave some of the extra for me. I'm touched to think that he thought of sharing it with me. Lovino, however, shut it up.

"He just gave it to you because the potato bastard doesn't want it and suggested that he gave it to you! So don't thank him like you're friends or something!" he screamed.

Antonio came to my rescue, fortunately, and dragged Lovino outside to calm him down.

"Keep your hands off me! Dammit, don't touch me! Especially tha -! CHIGIII!"

I ate my pasta. Wow, better than what I've remembered eating in the past. Kesesese.

* * *

><p>There, nothing more to say. Don't worry, Honda. I'll keep my lips sealed. And stay away from Berwald and the jerk Ivan if you know what's good for you.<p>

Understand?

Okay, I'm off.

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: I'm back! Okay, I'll use this space to reply to all of the reviewers to the last chapter. I was a little fuddle-minded because of the heat (and now it's raining!).**

_Eva N desu_**: Wahaha, I'm not sure which seiyuu event, but it sure was fun to watch (especially Onosaka-san's antics). Anyways, I'll try to see if I can finish explaining why Matthew is like that in the next few chapters. Um, can't say if Ivan's behavior can be logically explained, since most of Hetalia's characters seemed to think he's just doing it for fun... Stay tuned!**

**: I love Asia too (Hong Kong and Japan are my faves), and I did think Matthew needs some more love! :D**

_yaoirokzthebest_**: Thank you for liking my story! Although sorry if this chapter was on Gilbert's perspective (blame the awesome him...) Next chapter is a little bit of Kiku's PoV, don't worry...(yeah, a little bit...)**

_Alice Barden_**: Haha, Xiao Chun must have more scenes in the story, if I do say so myself... And see what happens in the next chapters! :3**

_s41k1_**: Stay tuned, more AsaKiku next chapter! And a little more of the plot revealed... (grin)**

_Rain_**: You reviewed on the ninth chapter, didn't you? Thanks for the review! Unfortunately, I can't reply! Anyways, thanks again!**


	12. Āsā To Kiku Soshite, Arufuredo?

**A/N: Ciao, readers! This is another chapter! Pretty long, and I hope you don't get confused by the frequent point-of-view switching. Starting on this chapter, I'll use four perspectives: Kiku's, Arthur's, Alfred's, and a new character's (Guess!).**

**This is the start of the first story arc of this fic.**

**Um, first time disclaimer: I don't own "Let's Boil Hot Water!" by Daisuke Namikawa. It's the song Feliciano will be singing later in the chapter, although only the choruses are written here.**

* * *

><p><em>The Black Chrysanthemum Arc<em>

* * *

><p><em>アーサーと菊<em>_... __そして、アルフレッド？__  
><em>_**Āsā To Kiku... Soshite, Arufuredo?**_

_Day 27. Saturday._

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

I checked my black digital watch and saw with a sigh that it was 2:23 pm.

The crisp morning air was refreshing. I stood by a clump of bushes in the quadrangle, waiting for a certain tardy someone.

"Kiku!"

I turned and had my head almost severed as Arthur slung his arm over my neck with extreme force and steered me outside of the campus.

"You're late by exactly three minutes, Arthur-san."

"Sorry, I've just got a lot of stuff to do for the student council. Unlike the year representatives, I have to be at every meeting."

"It's okay. I wasn't getting impatient or anything, really."

Arthur laughed. "You aren't capable of being impatient, Kiku."

I sighed softly. "I grew up with Yao and Yong Soo, Arthur-san."

He laughed, throwing back his head slightly. "Most concise answer I've ever heard, Kiku Honda."

We walked down the drive leading to the front gate, while some other students who wanted to go out too all around us. It was pretty there, the road easy on the feet, and it was just pleasantly warm. Ideal day for a walk.

We ducked into a park and wandered around the flowers. I brought my sketchpad, pencils, and my ever trusty nib pen and ink bottle in a little backpack, since I would admit that it was tempting to draw Arthur sitting on a bench.

"What have you got in that bag?" he asked when we sat down. He looked particularly dashing in a yellow button-down shirt, black trousers and a pair of immaculate black Oxfords. A black flat cap rested on his bright hair. I noted that he looked particularly nice in anything. I envied him. (sigh...)

I answered him by taking out the sketchpad and a 7B charcoal pencil out of my bag. I particularly favored the 7B thickness because it was easy to smudge.

"Oh, you're going to draw?" he asked, puzzled at the activity that I presented him with. "Do you do that while outside too?"

I nodded vigorously. "I do. Nature proved to be a really good model." He grinned lightheartedly, lounged on the bench, and showed off his cap. I smiled involuntarily, opening the sketchpad on a free page and putting the tip of the pencil on the surface of the paper.

I can usually draw a human figure with a charcoal pencil in about ten minutes, nine minutes for the lines and one for the shades. If I decide to outline the drawing with a nib pen, it'll take a little longer, fifteen minutes in the fastest.

I decided to draw Arthur, who was gazing at the clouds passing by. Mm.

Bench. Head. Neck. Hair. Face. Ears. Shoulders. Arms. Hands. Chest. Waist. Thighs. Knees. Legs. His shoes are neat Oxfords. Relaxed pose, huh? I drew quickly, then filled the outline with specific details. Expression? A quiet, contemplating one, watching the clouds in the sky. His mouth is in a relaxed smile. His cap is slightly on the side. The top buttons of his shirt are unbuttoned. One hand is on a thigh. Yup, I have drawn it already. Hmm, anything missing? Black trousers. Black belt. Shirt tucked in. Sleeves rolled up to the elbow. There, finished. Nine minutes, more or less.

One minute to shade. Sun shining lazily. Shade, smudge, smudge. My index finger rubbed furiously at the lines, spreading the charcoal to where the shadows are supposed to be. Finished. Time's up. Right on the dot. By this time, I had charcoal dust all over my fingers. A messy job for my hands, but the output is beautiful.

I looked back at my subject, who had sit up, his pose gaining rigidity as he stretched. He looked over at me and flashed a smile. "Not bored yet?"

"No, I think it's better to have this kind of silence. We're in a park, after all." I stood up and put the pencil back in the bag. The sketchpad remained outside.

"Where are you going?" Arthur said, watching my movements.

"I'll just wash my hands, Arthur-san." I held up my right hand.

"Wait, when did that get so dirty?" he remarked, amused.

"I'll look for a water tap," I said instead, smiling at him. I almost said "faucet." He'll stare at me confusedly if I did.

"Okay. I'll wait here." He settled back on his seat.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

The clouds are particularly candy floss-like as I lolled my head back. I waited for Kiku, and in the process, I glanced at his things. The sketchpad was beside his bag. Feeling a little curious, I took and opened it.

The first was a drawing of cherry trees beside a river. Then a rough sketch of Yao holding a wok and stir-frying some vegetables. Then an ink drawing of the Xiao Chun kid and the Taiwanese girl, Meimei, playing chess. After that, a series of scribbled drawings of portions of the Orientals' house.

The next picture was a drawing of himself. Was it really him? Kiku was wearing a carefree smile and his eyes shone really brightly, as if he was resting after a romp outside. He had on a black-and-white yukata. I hoped I can make him smile like that once again.

Following it was a colored portrait of himself drawn with ink. He was wearing a deep violet kimono, a blue coat, and deep blue socks (tabi, he called them). His footwear were colored a nice black. There was a note in English underneath saying that the whole outfit's payment was taken from Kiku's savings and all his paychecks from part-time jobs since junior high school and a big chunk of Yao's savings. He also wrote that it was going to be his clothes for formal occasions for the rest of his life (apparently all kimono are of only one size when spread out, thus it can be worn by anybody without problem) unless he'll get a job that'll make enough money so that he can buy another. I grinned at it.

The next picture made me pause. Was it... me? I read the caption underneath.

"Āsā-senpai giving his first speech as the president of the student council." Hm... Āsā? Was that me? Guess so...

I flipped to the next page and saw another self-portrait. He drew himself in the winter uniform of the Academy, with a little note at the side saying, "First time wearing the World W Academy's winter uniform. It stifled me a little, but no complaining."

When I flipped to the last picture, I laughed. It was me, no doubt about it, wearing exactly what I was wearing as I sat there. Was he drawing this earlier when I was drifting off with the clouds? A caption underneath said "Āsā-san is daydreaming, see his expression?" Yeah. It must have been then.

Hm, talented bloke. No more comment. He must have caught Yao's talent for art.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

I saw a drinking fountain by the pathway, and since by that time I was weary of hunting for any water source (they all seemed to avoid me), I took out my handkerchief and held an edge under the stream of clear water. After a moment, I took it out and wiped at the charcoal dust. It came off easily, to my utmost relief. Then I headed back to the bench where I left Arthur.

I saw him leafing through my sketchpad. He had apparently discovered the drawing of him that I had made earlier. He was touching the surface of the paper, with something akin to a smile on his lips.

"Arthur-san?"

"Oh! There you are, Kiku!" He closed the sketchpad with a snap and replaced it beside my bag. "Sorry to disturb your things, I just became curious."

"Ah, that's perfectly okay, Arthur-san." I picked up my things. "Where d'you want to go next?"

"Hm, I want to stay a little more here first. I just want to talk while no one is listening."

I resumed my seat. "What do you want to talk about, then?"

He chuckled. "Kiku, you really don't dominate conversations, do you?" He switched to a serious expression. "Well, it's about Matthew. You know him, right?"

"A bit, we were classmates last year, but we both tend to keep to ourselves so we don't cross paths often." I frowned slightly, remembering the confrontation that we had last time. "Why, what's the matter?"

"Well, he's like, acting a bit strange." He leaned forward on his seat and rested his elbows on his knees, his green eyes fixed on the ground. "I can't pinpoint why, exactly, but I do know he sometimes looks at me funny."

I glanced at him worriedly. "Is that so..." I narrowed my eyes. What was running through Matthew's mind?

"Yep." He sat back again, his eyes shifting out of focus as he thought. "I dunno. I always pay more attention to Alfred than Matthew, since the latter is admittedly more mature and I don't really have to look after him. He can take care of his own self." He sighed and stared at me. "But now, I think he's developing a possessive streak over me. It's like he doesn't want me out of his sight now, you know? And I don't see why he suddenly would, since we're practically leading separate social lives nowadays. And as I've said, it's not like I've taken much notice of him before!"

"Hm, that's so..." I thought fast and decided to tell him. "Arthur-san, it may be a little late to tell you this, and I'm sorry, but," I breathed out slowly at this, "Matthew-kun now knows that we have a relationship."

Arthur was shocked. "What? He knows?" He ran a hand over the side of his head, bewildered. "How -?"

"He caught us kissing last week," I said dully, my eyes staring at a patch of grass that stubbornly denied my attempts to make it wither. "He confronted me about it. I had no choice, so I told him the truth."

"Oh?" He frowned thoughtfully. "I thought we'll keep it a secret? I mean, you were the one who suggested it in the first place..." He seemed mightily disturbed, but he tried to rearrange his features. "Okay, I think that since he already knows, let's look at the bright side. It's fortunate that Matthew was the one who knew about it instead of his idiotic twin. If Alfred finds out, he'll bust his brain thinking about the many different techniques that he'll use to gently poke the fact on me."

That was hardly a bright side, I thought, but I said it in euphemisms.

"I requested Matthew to keep it quiet," was what I told him. "Although I'm not sure if he'll confide in Alfred, which was likely since they're twin brothers."

"Shit," Arthur gasped, his shock even prompting him to use an American curse.

I nodded. "Yes, I agree that this whole situation IS total shit."

Arthur groaned. "Dear God, Kiku Honda is cursing. The world must be coming to an end."

We both palmed our faces and sighed. If we only had a sign that says "Depressed Couple, Do Not Disturb", the setup would have been complete.

_Shit._

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

We went back to the school in thoughtful silence by a quarter past 4 in the afternoon. We didn't stop to eat because, to tell you the truth, Kiku and I weren't too fond with American fast food, although in my case that is a bit of an understatement.

Kiku looked a bit ruffled, but I guess we both are worrying, not about the trustworthiness of my younger brother Matthew (he is a quiet and dependable fellow, so I don't have to worry), but about the fact that his constitution is admittedly a bit weak. And he totally worships Alfred.

I was so busy thinking about the matter that I didn't notice that we were already in the boys' dormitory, that we were now on our floor, and that Kiku was bowing at me and telling me that he enjoyed our walk. When I had finally focused, he was already entering his room.

Bummer. He must have noticed that I was out of it and quietly decided to leave me with my thoughts.

I treaded the hallway and reached the statue of the three Graces. I looked dejectedly at them and muttered, "I'm finally cracking up with all my responsibilities, am I not?"

They stared ahead with their same unchanging, stony glance. I must be going crazy! I bumped my forehead at the door to my room and entered.

"Iggy!" Alfred was ecstatic at my return. "Where have you gone?"

"Out with a friend," I answered vaguely, taking off my cap and putting it in the suitcase under my bed. I then proceeded to unbutton my shirt completely and shrug it off, after which I picked a light blue t-shirt and wore it. I kicked my shoes off (they shot under my bed), but decided to leave my socks on.

Alfred grinned at my strange behavior, since usually, I change _all_ of my clothes after an outdoor activity. "Iggy, all right? Didn't you enjoy your walk with Kiku?"

I froze. "What?" Bleeding hell, he saw us? I thought I made sure that he doesn't!

"I asked you if you're all right!" He sprawled on his bed and gazed at me with a puzzled look. "Evidently not! Seriously, did he make you eat something weird or something that -"

"Shut up, moron." I grimaced and stripped off my watch. I placed it on my bedside and sat on my bed, so that I faced his prostrate figure, sprawled in a very undignified way on his bed. "And sit up properly when you speak to someone. It's rude to talk in a position like that."

He sat up, the stupid grin still on his face. I knew that he just obeyed me because he knew that I won't continue the conversation unless he did so. "There, I'm sitting."

"Good," I said shortly, taking a book out of my schoolbag and putting it on my lap.

"Hey, Iggy," Alfred said suddenly as I tried to locate the marked page in the book. "How close are you to Kiku, anyway?"

"Why d'you ask?" I asked suspiciously, stopping halfway through my activity.

He threw his hands up, laughing rather a bit too nervously for my liking. "Nothing! Gosh, you're rushing at me immediately, Iggy! I was just asking!"

"That's true, but why are you asking?" I said, knitting my eyebrows. "And give me an answer that isn't the least bit idiotic, understand?"

"Well..." Alfred fidgeted uneasily, which instantly set my nerves on end. "I-I'll tell you, but don't laugh or get disgusted, huh? Promise, Iggy?"

"Disgusted? What the hell, Alfred?" I was getting super suspicious. My brotherly senses were tingling nonstop. "Well - okay, then. Spill."

"Well, I got a thing for the guy, see..." He was blushing so much while he spoke. His glasses almost fell off his nose as he fidgeted. "I -"

Just then I bloody realized what he just said. "WHAT THE HELL, ALFRED!" I was yelling. Bloody -! He -! I can't speak. I was on my feet, the book escaping my grasp and hitting the wooden floor with a dull thunk.

"Hell, Iggy! What're you getting all worked up for?" Alfred shouted anxiously, standing up too to slam me back down on my bed. "I did tell you not to react violently, right?"

"You bloody didn't, git!" I shouted back, almost crying from my extreme rage. "What you did tell me was to not laugh or get disgusted! I didn't now, did I!"

"Hell yeah, but you should've got my meaning!" Alfred sat back down, his arm curling around the bed post. "Now will you calm down?"

I breathed hard, not looking at him. Double shit, I almost blew the secret. "Yes. I'm listening."

"Great." I felt his eyes look at me uncertainly. He must be weighing the chances of me blowing another gasket at his next statement. "Er, you see -"

"God, quit beating around the bush! Spill it!" I snarled, raising my eyes to meet his blue ones. He gulped visibly.

"Er, answer my question first. How close are you two?" he asked desperately, his eyes going puppy-dog mode.

"Quite close, but not that close," I answered cautiously.

"What kind of answer is that, Iggy?" he griped in an annoying whiny voice. I had half a mind to go punch his face now.

"Well, what kind of answer did you expect, seriously, moron?" I replied grumpily.

"Like, if you are best friends or something!" Alfred said loudly. I rolled my eyes involuntarily.

"Friends! Happy?" I lied, huffing. He looked satisfied with my answer already. Moron.

"Then you can help me get closer to Kiku! Right?" He actually said that with a big, goofy grin on his face.

"MORON!" Did I actually say the word out aloud? Nice. I thought it was just me thinking.

I promptly picked up the book that was still on the floor and put it on my bed. I was going to break out in an ugly mixture of British and American curses if I stay anymore. I must get some fresh air! "I'm going out."

"Hey, Iggy~!"

I slammed the door behind me and promptly ran downstairs. I'll have to update my status on my Facebook tonight from "It's frigging hot today!" to "It's frigging hot today! Perfect for roasting an Alfred on a stick!"

Bloody bugger. It's getting so complicated. I'll have to talk to Kiku soon about this.

Matthew hasn't spilt the beans yet, but the instant he does, I know Alfred will be screaming bloody murder first.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

A loud knock rapped on the door as I sat on the study table and downloaded new tracks for my MP3. I turned my head and stared at the door in annoyance as there came two more, each sounding as loud as hammer blows.

I opened it and stared up calmly at the knocker, making sure coldness was radiating from every pore in my skin.

Alfred blinked at me, his fist raised halfheartedly as if to knock once more. His expression turned sheepish when he saw me peek out with an icy expression.

"Hi, um," he sputtered. I raised an eyebrow, hoping that he'll get the hint and go away, but of course, what did I expect? This was Alfred Jones I'm staring at.

"Good day, Alfred-kun. What can I do for you?" I said coolly, tilting my head as he stared down at me with his clear blue gaze. I must say that I was fascinated with blue eyes when I first saw them. They seemed so alien. But then, Asians have only a limited range of eye colors, from a moderate brown to the darkest brown. If you have one blue-eyed parent, you're lucky to have those blue eyes too because brown eyes are dominant, unfortunately.

"Um, some of the sophomores and freshmen are bumming out tonight, and I'd like to know if you wanna join," he said, grinning lightheartedly.

"Ah, really?" I scowled slightly. "Who's going too?"

"Well, there's Feliciano, Tino, Toris and Feliks, and me from our class, also Ludwig, Basch, Gupta, Mattie and Eduard from the other class. Quite a bunch, including those freshmen. I think your bro Leon is going." His smile widened. "It'd be awesome if you can hang out with us too."

"I don't have a brother named Leon," I put in, confused.

"The one with the choppy brown hair," he said. "I can't remember his name. It sounds too confusing."

"That's Xiao Chun," I said dryly. "He's not Leon."

"Whatever. Shakespeare did write 'What's in a name?', right," he said, shrugging. "Anyway, you'll be going, right?"

I sighed. "It depends on the location. I won't go out tonight if you're going to be drinking, since if Yao finds out, he'll pound me and Xiao Chun into nice, sticky mochi."

Alfred laughed. "Chillax, dude. I know that you don't drink. Or else there'd be no point in me asking you out, hey?"

I pulled at my bangs, frowning at him. "Just tell me where to."

"We're just eating out in a nice place that I know of. I mean, this is freakin' New York city. Practically my territory, huh?"

I thought hard and smiled uncertainly. "Okay, I guess..."

He punched the air. "NICE!" he whooped. I sighed with amusement as I watched his childish antics. Is this what an American is, or he's just one of the odd ones? He does have overacting reactions...

"Then get dressed up and go down by six-thirty. We're meeting up in the dorm's entrance hall," he said excitedly after catching his breath. "I'm going. See ya, Kiku!"

"Yes," I said, bowing as he burst out of the room and closed the door behind him. I must pick out what to wear, then. The night will be pretty chilly, I expect.

* * *

><p>"Kiku!" Feliciano, warmly clad in a cheerful red sweater and white jeans, was saying gleefully as I went down to the entrance hall. "You're going too!"<p>

I smiled sparingly at him. "I just decided to spend my time out since I have nothing else to do. And it is a nice night tonight."

"All the same, it's nice to have you with us," Ludwig chimed in, dressed in a modest dark button-down shirt and white slacks. He looked exasperated when Feliciano began singing at the top of his voice. I watched them amusedly as Ludwig promptly engaged Feliciano in a headlock to subdue him.

"Hey, Kiku!" I turned and saw Alfred grinning like crazy as he put an arm around my shoulders for the second time in my life. I was about to protest feebly when he remarked, "Hey, Kiku. Nice clothes."

I bowed slightly. "Thank you."

He laughed. "You're so terribly polite."

"I was brought up like this," I said after an incredulous sigh.

"Your childhood must be boring, then," he remarked.

I grimaced slightly. "Hardly so. At least I'm allowed to go out of the house and fly paper kites."

"I don't getcha."

"Don't worry, Alfred-kun. You don't have to. You're American, after all."

"What d'you mean? Can you explain the concept?"

"..."

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

I was ecstatic at Kiku's presence in the group as we started strolling on the long drive connecting the Academy to its actual front gate. He was quiet, and he has this aura around him that really calms me when I look at him. He's like a shock-absorber or something.

I was examining his gentle features. He possessed the darkest, deepest eyes I've ever seen. And his dark hair fell to those eyes in a very charming way. It contrasted sharply with his porcelain-white skin. He's like a china doll, or something.

"It's rude to stare, Alfred-kun," a quiet voice said.

I was shaken out of my contemplation. Kiku was looking at me with something akin to amusement. Oh, shit! I'm discovered! Er, duh...

"Alfred-kun...?" Kiku tilted his head. He had the habit of tilting his head so that his bangs fell just slightly to the side. "Are you alright?"

"Oh! I'm okay! I'm a hero, after all! Hahaha!" I was acting real stupid. I often had a habit of doing those kinds of things whenever I am pressured or whenever I feel like doing it. The latter one was for annoying Iggy and everyone else.

Feliciano was starting to sing again, something Italian.

"_Quando guardo su verso il cielo vuoto, vedo maccheroni fluttuare lievemente_...

"_La felicità dell'assaporarne lentamente il sapore... Dai, facciamo bollire l'acqua calda_!"

"Is that so?" Kiku was saying with a slight smile. He must be thinking how childish I am. But I can't stop my tongue.

"Of course! Hahaha!"

"Hmm, you are a strange person, Alfred-kun..."

"Hey! I'm not!"

"_Quando smette di piovere vado a trovare il mio amico, e accumulo ricordi con i ravioli_..." Oh, great. Feliciano's singing was shredding my nerves successfully. Was it about pasta? He mentioned ravioli...

"_Da tempo voglio vedere il tuo volto sorridente... Dai, facciamo bollire l'acqua calda_!" If this went on, I'm going to die...

"_Feliciano_!" Ludwig finally roared. I breathed a sigh of relief. Feliciano let out a squeak. Ludwig must have performed another headlock.

I whistled shrilly to fill the silence. I saw Kiku glance at me amusedly before turning his sight back to the road that lay ahead.

He must have confirmed the idea that I'm really a childish idiot.

Way to score, Alfred F. Jones. I'm messin' up big time.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

I took in the atmosphere of the diner where Alfred led us. It had a nice aura, and delightful smells of grilled meat wafted out to us. I wonder if they serve grilled fish. And maybe a bowl of misoshiru to complement it. And some rice too...

I slapped myself mentally. I'm in a diner in the midst of New York City, in the freaking United States of America. And I'm still thinking like I'm in Japan. I guess some things never change...

The group settled down on a spot. All in all we were almost twenty in number. I spotted Xiao Chun and led him so that he can sit beside me. He sighed as he sat down.

"Does this place serve _rice_ meals? And do they have _chopsticks_?" was his first sarcastically-put question.

"Spoken like a true-blooded Asian, Xiao Chun," I replied. "Settle for bread if you must have your carbohydrates."

"_Touché_, Kiku-gē." He threw his head back and stared at the lights, his eyes expressionless. I just noticed that he had spoken three languages in just that single sentence.

I sighed at this and Alfred took our orders. At first, I couldn't choose at all, but after looking through, I ordered a grilled tuna sandwich and a soda (I can't believe this, I actually broke one of my morals!). When all of us have ordered, and in Alfred's words, "coughed up", we began settling in our seats and proceeded to bug everyone beside us.

* * *

><p>The food was good, the atmosphere was friendly, Xiao Chun was sarcastic as usual, and Alfred on my other side wasn't helping much. He settled on calling Xiao Chun "Leon", not that the other minded.<p>

"Kiku-gē," Xiao Chun said suddenly as I finished up the remains of my sandwich. "What's the news with Sir Eyebrows?"

"Huh?" I said absently, picking at my table napkin and ripping it systematically into shreds. "Who's that?"

"That guy. The Brit," Xiao Chun persisted, brown eyes boring into me. I glanced at him. Why does he have to be dressed like a _gyaru-o_ all the time... He looked like those Korean pop idols that Yong Soo so adored. Yao jokingly called him the hippest guy in his Asian flock.

"Arthur-san?" I frowned. "Um, why are you interested in him all of a sudden? I don't think you're particularly fond of him or something."

He tapped the surface of the table impatiently. "I'm not stupid, Kiku-gē." Typical Xiao Chun.

"Xiao Chun, I don't think that this is the best place to talk about those kinds of things," I replied tersely, staring back at him.

We engaged in a staring contest. I always did these kinds of things with him since he was the most stubborn of all the younger kids. He wasn't one to be ordered around, his mindset a lot more mature for Meimei and Yong Soo to keep up with.

This time, I won.

"All right," he said nonchalantly, sitting back and smirking at me. "Golden Boy's staring at you."

"Really, stop your name-calling, or I'll cut off all your pretty brown hair tonight while you sleep." I turned back to see Alfred indeed staring at me. He was wearing a really serious expression, creeping me out.

"What is it, Alfred-kun?" I said, my eyes carefully emptied.

"Ah, nothing," he said rather hastily, blinking and turning away. I glared at him quietly, but when he did not speak again, I turned back to Xiao Chun, who was looking bored, picking at his arm warmers. He even stifled a yawn.

"_Gyaru-o,_" I told him in amusement, smiling at him.

He shot me an expressionless glance, which I recognized as his "so what?" look.

I sighed. At least he hadn't brought his handmade fireworks just to annoy me, or we'll literally set the house on fire.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

I spent the evening lounging in the school library. I was distracted, though. I can't help thinking of Alfred's moronic request to help him get closer to Kiku. What the hell, Alfred. I don't want to.

Maybe we should let him in the secret. It would be convenient for all. The problem was we haven't taken into account that he would fall for Kiku. Shit. I thought Matthew was just being protective of me. Then I realized that Alfred must have told him his feelings for Kiku before telling me. They are twins, after all. I smacked myself for my stupidity.

I'm going back to my room and sleep the problem off. Or maybe look at the withered chrysanthemum I had picked in the garden weeks ago.

At least it would give me some peace of mind.

When I entered my room, my eyes immediately sought my study desk. I pulled open the top drawer, where a single chrysanthemum lay, its pink petals darkening with its death. I was wrong. I felt even more depressed while staring at it. (*sigh*)

I think I'll just go to sleep, then...

Goodnight.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

My cellphone rang, vibrating slightly in my pocket. I pulled it out and answered.

"Hello?"

"_Moshi moshi_, Kiku-chan."

I recognized that sweet, dangerous voice. I almost dropped the phone as my eyes widened in shock.

"Ogiku-kun?"

The soft voice laughed mirthlessly. "You're so cold, Kiku-chan. I just called to ask if you're okay with those..." The voice sighed. "...westerners? They have corrupted your mind too much now..."

I glanced at Xiao Chun. He was staring at me, his eyes flickering oddly and his knuckles white while gripping on the edge of the table. His almost-supernatural instincts must have told him who the caller was.

I nodded, reading the unspoken message in his dark eyes. He paled.

"What do you want?" I asked quietly.

"Why, I do want too many things, so that is a really general question, Kiku-chan," the voice said, with almost a purr at the end of the sentence.

"Why did you call, then?" I asked in a low, deadly voice, amidst the partying people around me. Luckily, Alfred wasn't paying attention.

"I'm just calling to say I'm here in America now..." The voice chuckled. "Now isn't that a nice surprise?"

"WHAT?" I was shocked. Fortunately, no one noticed except Xiao Chun, who was looking disturbed. I stole a glance at the table: Feliks was starting a rowdy game. Thankfully, almost everyone joined. "Why -?"

"Why, you ask~?" The voice sank to a whisper. I had to strain my ear to catch the words. "Because I would like to see you again. And have fun playing with the love of your life... perhaps?"

My eyes widened as a small beep signaled the end of the call.

He's here. In America. I was unnerved, admittedly. But I was glad, in a way.

_Because I will be able to make him pay the debt that he owed me and my siblings. On my life._

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Oops, cliffhanger! :D**

**Oh, by the way, I twisted my original plot a bit. Because of that, this story will become a little longer.**

**The next chapter will introduce the new character in cameo appearance! Curiouser and curiouser we go...**

**Yes, the new character is a non-canonical character (he appears in the fandom only)...**

**Who dares a guess before I put up the next chapter~?**

* * *

><p><strong>Reply Space:<strong>

_AK30102_**: Yeah, glad to hear from you again! (^^) Thanks for the review!**

_s41k1_**: He is. SO bored, in fact. He should get a girlfriend or something. :D**

_Alice Barden_**: I think PruHunAus rocks. They are a totally awesome (see that, Gilbert?) love triangle. Maybe I'll add them as a minor story arc?**


	13. Júhuā Chá

**A/N: ¡Hola! It's the author of this story again. I now introduce the next chapter of the Black Chrysanthemum arc! Woot. I might have to change the title of the story sometime soon because of the plot twist...:D**

**Ramble ramble time: Yuki Kaida is my idol! Wow, I didn't know that besides Japanese, she can also speak English, French, and of course, kick-ass Mandarin Chinese! (She's totally made to voice-act Yao and Meimei, after all...)**

**And now, I introduce to you the black chrysanthemum...**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Júhuā Chá<em>**

_Day 29. Monday._

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"_Kiku-chaaaaan_!"

"Ah, don't jump on me!" I felt thin arms encircle my waist, and a chin drop on the shoulder of my gray yukata. "And don't call me 'Kiku-chan'! I've told you that many times already!"  
>"But I think it's cuter that way..." He, the person they called Júhuā, drew away from me, a grin on his pale face. I wiped away the dirt on his nose.<p>

"I thought you agreed not to play with Yong Soo in hahaue's garden! You'll get all dirty!"

"It's fun, Kiku-chan..." He smiled at me impishly. He was such a darling idiot. "Why wouldn't you join us?"

"Because it's stupid. And because we'll get punished if we get caught." I pulled at his dark hair. He laughed gaily as he pulled at my hands playfully.

"Why do we look alike, Kiku-chan?" he asked, jumping on me again. I struggled to keep myself upright, but we tumbled to the floor. Since I was on the bottom, I was the one who got hurt. But I didn't say anything.

"I don't know. Maybe the gods thought that whoever comes out first will be a lot of trouble, so they made another one like you to keep you from doing something very stupid." He laughed and bumped his forehead against mine.

"Say, Kiku-chan, are we going to look this perfectly similar when we get older?"

"I think so. Unless you get a new haircut or something while we're growing up." I sighed. His questions made me feel as if I was the older twin, rather than the other way around.

"Say, Kiku-chan, I'm older than you, right?" he asked next.

"Yes," I affirmed, patting his cheek. He brushed his bangs from his forehead and blinked at me.

"Then mustn't I be the one taking care of you, not the other way around?" he asked.

"You don't need to be," I said softly, brushing aside his bangs from his sweaty forehead. His dark eyes smiled at me. "You're the one who needs taking care of, so I'll take care of you."

He smiled brightly. "Thank you," he said happily, engaging me in a bear-hug. I mumbled something about not being too lively, but he took no notice. "Love you..."

I smiled as I gripped the back of his yukata. "I love you too..."

My eyes snapped open. My alarm clock was ringing wildly. Was that... just a dream? I felt as if I was cheated on.

I didn't know how much I missed his smile until I saw it again. Ogiku... It has been too long...

I got up, swung my legs off the bed, and rumpled my hair sleepily. _Kami-sama help me... I must get ready for school right away..._

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

There's something that was ringing nonstop somewhere near me. It was annoying me to no end.

_WAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUP!_

Ugh. My head and neck are so sore. Tch...

I rolled over and opened my eyes. I stared into the ceiling, comprehending that this is the start of another week. I checked my watch, which was on the bedside table. 5:30 am.  
>I so totally abhor Mondays. Why do Mondays have to come so early in the week?<p>

I stretched lazily and got up, my head aching. It was as if I drank a whole case of beer last night, but luckily, that wasn't the case. I poked my feet into my slippers and proceeded to brush my hair first (it did absolutely nothing) before going to the shower room to perform my effective wake-up ritual. I grabbed my towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, and smacked Alfred for good measure, since he wasn't woken up by his stupid alarm clock which was still ringing. By the way, that stupid alarm clock of his was the thing which woke me up. I don't know how it happened, but Alfred's alarm clock must have inherited his idiocy. I mean, it woke the wrong person up. Was anything more stupid...

"Wake up, git! Or you'll find yourself beating the bell to school!" I tugged once more at his arm, but he snored on happily.

"Well, I'll leave you here then! And don't blame me for NOT waking you up, because that's not my bloody job!" I huffed and went on my way.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

I woke up to see Iggy already dressed up except for the vest and shoes. He threw me a venomous glare when he noticed me stirring.

"About time, git!" He tugged on his vest and put on his shoes. I stared at him blankly.

"Well, what are you bloody staring at? Get up and make yourself presentable for class!"

"Oh, right, class!" Oh, I _forgot_ it was Monday! Gosh. I didn't tell him about that, or else he'll totally bitch about it.

"I'm off, Alfred. No messing around, or I'll get you." He shrugged on his shoulder bag and proceeded to the door.

"Hey, it's so early in the day, why do you have to be so effing early?"

"Unlike a certain someone, I am the student council president, and therefore, it's my duty to patrol corridors before classes so to check if there isn't any funny business going on!"

"Hey, _Iggy_!"

He slammed the door behind him. Oh well. I must get ready for school.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

I was entering my homeroom with what I supposed was a zombie look when Tino Väinämöinen hailed me from his seat. "Kiku! _Hyvää huomenta_!" He was grinning excitedly.

"_Ohayo gozaimasu_," I returned, bowing. "You look excited about something, Tino-kun."

"Yeah, _moi_!" He laughed nervously. "Was I that obvious?"

I shrugged. "Tino-kun is just too honest to hide it."

"Ah, haha." Tino smiled widely and laced his fingers together. "Well, Lukas is going to have his birthday tomorrow!" He glanced at me with good-natured violet eyes. "D'you want to come?"

"Um, Lukas-senpai...?" I tentatively shook my head. "He's not a personal acquaintance of mine, I'm afraid I have to -"

"Aw, Kiku..." Tino looked depressed. I am such a sucker for those kinds of expressions.

"Um, but if you insist, maybe I -" I wasn't able to finish the sentence before Tino interrupted gaily, all traces of depression forgotten.

"Really? That'll be great, _moi moi_!" Tino cheered happily.

I actually laughed. His cheerfulness was so infectious. "That's settled now, Tino-kun."

"Yeah, Alfred and Feliciano're gonna come, also some guys from the other class, and also Arthur Kirkland. He's great buddies with Luke."

"Oh... That's great." I sat at my desk and arranged my things in my bag.

Arthur and Alfred in one party?...

I sure wish Lukas-senpai a happy birthday. With all my heart.

* * *

><p>[<em>Júhuā<em>]

Konnichiwa. Ogenki desu ka? This is our first face-to-face meeting, my good sir.

You're not afraid of me, are you? Because I'm not evil. I'm actually very kind. That is, if you're willing to follow my very simple demands. Or else, I'll gladly plunge the blade of this delightfully sharp katana in your heart.

Don't worry, I won't kill you today. I don't kill while in a pleasant mood. But if you get me angry, then perhaps...? Ah, don't sweat it! There, I'll take care of your little life just for today, and after I end our conversation, you may up and leave! That is, as long as you do not get on the wrong side of me while I am talking.

I'm quite fascinated with the surroundings here in America, you know? Tokyo is also a great city, but it's so lacking in a good dose of westerners. Do you know that more than ninety percent of the population in Japan is native Japanese people? Quite patriotic, I must say...

What is my name, you ask? Ah, don't mind my name. But I do admit that it'll be troublesome for you to call my attention if you can't call me by my given name! Let's see. My name is Júhuā. Ah, yes, that is Chinese. The Chinese word for that lovely flower residing in the bottom of the tea pot now, or else, the lovely chrysanthemum in English. But if you think that you can't pronounce it that well, call me by my Japanese name. Ogiku. It means roughly the same, but it specifically refers to the chrysanthemum plant that only has one stem and bears only one flower at a time.

Am I Chinese, you ask? No. I may have a teensy bit of Chinese blood, but nothing more. Actually, I'm Japanese. Funny how some westerners think that all Asians are Chinese. Well, I do admit that the Chinese take up a goodly portion in the population of Asia. But Asia is the largest continent, right? Surely there are more countries other than the great People's Republic of China!

Ah, I see you're avoiding my eyes. In the past, people use to say that I have the most expressive dark eyes that they've ever seen. But now, look at you. You're avoiding my gaze! Surely you're not afraid of me? I've told you that I won't harm you... yet. I just needed somebody to talk to.

See this picture? Hai, I have a younger brother. Younger twin, actually, if you'll just hold your head up and look properly at it. We're unusually similar, no? I think no other twin siblings in the world have this level of similarity. Fun fact: He was the one who gave me the nickname Ogiku. He's the only person who had the privilege to call me by that name, until when I gave you that name. You must feel privileged, then! Because I'll feel bad if any other person besides you two will call me by that name...

Where is he now? No, I did not leave him in Japan. He is here, dear sir, in the land of the free. How beautifully ironic, because he can never be truly free from my grasp.

His name is Kiku. Honda Kiku. If you translate it literally in English, it can mean "a chrysanthemum, one from the base of the fields." Quite poetic, kind sir. I used to envy him the name. But we have the same name, in a sense! The only difference was the language, but dear me, I am a finicky person, sir. If I want something, I'll go and get it. And what I want the most is his name. Yes?

You must be hungry by now? Ah, my apologies. I am forgetting my manners! But wouldn't you drink some more of this delightful tea? Ah, it is very good to drink, dear sir! The Chinese consider this as a remedy for fever and acne. It is brewed from white chrysanthemums, a flower that makes me think of my twin brother. It has a nice scent, yes? It is just like wine, only with more benefits, and you can drink as much of it as you like without getting the least bit tipsy!

I can brew you tea from black chrysanthemums, if you'd like. No? What a pity... They are a very deep red in color, almost black, which accounts for the name. The variety is almost non-existent, I think my family's garden is the only place where you'll see this variety. I have three black chrysanthemums in my possession right now. I can use them to make a pot of this júhuā chá.

Well, good sir, I must now leave you! Too bad, for it is certainly amusing to talk to you! I must go now. Here are some mooncakes, won't you have some? Ah, you insist on refusing? Then I must leave you, it's getting too tiring to meet your refusals... And if we shall meet once again in the same circumstances, I sincerely hope you escape with your life, because then, I shall not hesitate to kill you...

Thank you for your time!

Kami-sama be with you. Sayonara.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

I walked around the corridors at lunch break, my thoughts interrupted as I bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry, I -"

"Arthur?"

Oh, so it was Matthew. I blinked and sighed, then said, "I'm sorry again. I was just thinking about something."

"About Kiku?" Matthew said simply. I scowled at the sarcastic tone of his voice.

"Not just about him. About a lot of things, actually." I rumpled my hair carelessly, making it look more messy.

He stared at me for quite some time, his blue eyes thoughtful. Even though they were twins, they had a lot of different facial features. For one, Matthew sported longer hair than Alfred. For another, Matthew had paler skin compared to Alfred because Alfred was an outdoor type of guy. And lastly, the looks in their eyes were so contrasting. Matthew's eyes were gentle, thoughtful, and wise. Alfred's eyes were rough, impetuous, and had an impossibly idiotic expression.

"When are you going to tell Alfred?" Matthew asked me, eyebrows knitting. "He's not stupid, Arthur. He'll soon figure it out. So it's better to tell him first before he gets to that point."  
>I sighed. "I am trying to think of what exactly was I supposed to say to him. But my head's so muddled up."<p>

"I understand that you can't tell him the truth bluntly, but Alfred's not a kid anymore. He can be a bit impulsive, but he's not that much of a monster to steal a person who's already in love with someone." Matthew breathed out a sigh. "Arthur, just tell him, please? Or else I'll have no choice but to do it myself."

I nodded absently, taking in his words and absorbing them in my brain. Matthew nodded at me and set off on his way without a backward glance.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

When the dismissal bell rang, I slung my bag over my shoulder and set off to the boys' dormitories. On the way, I met Xiao Chun, who looked extremely pissed off. And I tell you, it takes a lot to make him mad, let alone make him very angry.

"Are you all right?" I asked him, watching his pale face. I did notice one thing common to my younger siblings - whenever one of them gets really angry, instead of reddening and arguing further, he or she gets extremely pale and eerily silent. If you think that their silence means that they're giving up, be warned - their silence means that they're thinking of something to get revenge on you.

Yao experienced that once - Meimei got irritated one time when he instructed her in a very irritating tone to cook some rice in the middle of playing an intense chess match with Xiao Chun. Her revenge? Why, simple. She snuck into his bed that night with a pair of scissors and cut his hair short. I still crack a smile whenever I remember that event. That's what we tell each other as a threat whenever things get a little too intense ("I'll cut off your hair tonight while you sleep!"), so that the other will laugh and the argument will be forgotten.

"I'm fine," he said shortly. I knew better than to press him for details, so I let him stew in his own rage. I wasn't too interested in that particular matter, anyways. I just wish good luck to that person who infuriated him. Hm.

"Kiku-gē."

"What is it?"

"Are you going to tell Yao that Júhuā-gē is here in the country?"

"Yes." I felt my eyes harden at the question. "He must know."

Xiao Chun let out a breath. "What would I not give just to have my hands around the _shén jīng bìng's_ throat..."

"Watch your language, he's still our brother."

"No, because he's a blood traitor, Kiku-gē." Xiao Chun spat out the words as delicately as if he was spitting out watermelon seeds. "Júhuā-gē..._ Diu_..." He smiled bitterly. "Now that I've come to think about it, he even used to be such a wonderful older brother. I did like him more than I liked Yao. If he wasn't so respectable and nice in the past, I'll have knocked the honorific off from his name."

"Hush, Xiao Chun." I sighed. Whenever I remember him, I always feel depressed. Of course, looking in a mirror every morning didn't help. "And again, watch your language. I can understand Chinese, remember? That includes Cantonese."

He made a face. "It's as if you haven't cursed even once in your entire life."

"Well, I have, but Japanese is oddly limited when it comes to cursing."

He sighed. "All right..."

We found Yao in the boys' dormitory's lounge area (called as such because it has numerous couches surrounding a coffee table), with a pot of steaming tea on the said coffee table and a set of cups clustered around it. He was reading a Chinese newspaper while drinking off a cup.

"_Xìa wǔ hǎo_, Yao-gē." Xiao Chun's greeting made Yao look up. His questioning eyes traveled to the both of us.

"Xìa wǔ hǎo," he returned. Then seeing our unusually serious faces, he scowled. "What seems to be the problem, aru?"

"Well, we have received a rather pleasant news from Júhuā-gē," Xiao Chun said sarcastically, crossing his arms. Yao looked surprised and a bit shocked. "He's here in America."

Yao's brow darkened. "So he's not content with finishing_ lìngshòutáng_ off, is he?" He stood up, his amber eyes burning with great distaste at the news. "And now he wants to kill us, his siblings, aru?"

I stared into Yao's eyes, which looked as if they were made of fiery molten gold. "Aniue, that may be the very case. And from the looks of it, he's planning to start with me."

I didn't dare say what was really on my mind. From what Ogiku has told me over the phone, I thought that it was probable that it was just me who he planned to have a go at. That took off a great weight from my worries, but I can't relax until I'm absolutely sure.

"Aiyaa, at such a time, aru..." Yao rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's not even the middle of the school year, aru..."

I smiled blandly. "That's just how his mind works, aniue."

Xiao Chun made a small disgruntled sound. "We have to tell Mei and Yong Soo. They may not like the news much, but they have to know."

"Goodness, aru," Yao sighed heavily. "They have to."

I bowed deeply. "I'll go look for them."

"Go," Yao said softly, and I departed immediately to determine where Yong Soo and Meimei were.

I found Yong Soo at his room, playing checkers with Matthew. They both looked up when I barged into the room. I gave Yong Soo a meaningful look.

Dense as he was, Yong Soo knew that the matter could only be serious if I start barging in to other people's rooms without so much as a simple knock. He told Matt to hold the game and went outside with me, the door shutting us from his roommate's ears with a satisfying click.

"What is it?" he asked warily. For the first time since we were kids, he looked serious enough to be considered as a safe person to talk to about matters like this.

"Júhuā. He's here in America." I spoke quickly in tight Chinese, ignoring his confused look. It quickly turned into rage when the message finally sank in.

"_Shiekkeh_!" he swore loudly in Korean. "The bastard!"

"I know, Yong Soo." I was finding it harder to breath. Yong Soo and Meimei were the ones who were mostly affected by Júhuā's drastic change from the perfect older brother to the monster that ensured them that they'll receive nightmares every night. If they weren't taught by Yao to hold the principles of toughness and strength, they might have cracked from the trauma.

"Where is he in America? Tell me!" he growled, his hands curling into fists. "I'll snap him in two, that Júhuā-hyung!"

"If my conclusions are correct, then he's already in this city." I frowned, because I had only one clue that confirmed this inference. He told me something about the "love of my life"... Arthur, perhaps? He couldn't have known that without seeing me and Arthur together. Maybe he's watching me when we bummed around in the park.

...Or, is it possible that he's here inside the campus already?

Stop thinking about those things, Kiku Honda!

I grabbed Yong Soo's shoulders. "Im Yong Soo, just stay alert. I know you're affected by this news greatly, but please keep your head. We don't want to lose another family member to him."

He nodded, his brown eyes calming somewhat. I embraced him briefly and thumped him on the back. "Go back. Matthew must be cheating you by now."

"Hell yeah, I forgot." He shot me a grin and went back in.

Okay, Meimei next. This is going to take a more roundabout approach. Boys aren't allowed in the girls' dormitories, just until the entrance hall.

I reached the entrance hall of the girls' dorm, then went up to the bulletin board on the wall. I searched for Meimei's name and found it beside the number 255. Okay.

I reached for the wall phone beside the bulletin board and punched in the numbers 6255. I could call her from my room, but I didn't know her room number then. Maybe next time.

"Hello?" a timid voice answered on the other end after three rings.

"Um, sorry for the disturbance. Is this Meimei's room?"

"Yes, I'll just call her, she's hanging out at Lizzie's room. Who is this?"

"Her brother. Kiku Honda. Second year."

"Ah, nice to talk with you. You know my brother Basch in your batch, right?"

"Oh, so you're Lili?"

"Yes. Oh, here's Meimei." I heard as Lili passed the phone to Meimei's hands, telling her that I was the caller.

"_Moshi moshi_, nii-chan," she jokingly said.

"_Moshi moshi_, Meimei." I kept my voice serious. "Can we talk down here? There are two guys lined up behind me."

"Ah, of course! I'm going down. I'm hanging up, Kiku-gē." Beep.

I set the receiver back on the cradle and sat on one of the couches that littered the entrance hall on the sides.

After some minutes, Meimei arrived at the entrance hall. She spotted me sitting there bored out of my mind.

"Kiku-gē!" She ruffled my hair teasingly.

"Quit that." I wasn't in the mood.

She settled on the seat in front of me, her expression turning somber when she examined my face.

"Are you alright?"

"Mei." I felt like I had to pass the small talk and get to the point already. "Júhuā is here, in America."

Her eyes widened, and the atmosphere changed drastically. "What?" She looked terrified, and for a moment, she was again the twelve-year-old kid who was watching her older brother sharpen his blood-spattered blade, fresh from the heart of the woman sprawled beside him, directly in front of her.

"Don't worry, Mei. We'll have this all sorted out soon," I said. She clutched the armrests and shook her head, her wide brown eyes heavy with suppressed tears. I felt a bit sympathetic toward her. All of us siblings hardly ever cried. Even Meimei, who can break a man's ribs singlehandedly with a well-placed kick.

"Meimei..." I went over to her side and touched her hair awkwardly. "I know this is difficult for you..."

"Kiku-gē." She spoke with a hard tone, the one she used while sparring with Xiao Chun. "I'll kill him! I'll kill him, the _shén jīng bìng_! I'll kill him for killing _lìngshòutáng_!" She was shaking. I've never seen her worked up like this before.

"Calm down." I patted her back awkwardly. I should have anticipated this coming.

Júhuā... If I ever see his mock-innocent smile again, I swear I'll chop off his head. For making Meimei cry. For making Yong Soo cover up his bad memories with his senseless behavior. For taking off Xiao Chun's ability to smile genuinely again because of the trauma. For scarring Yao across the back. For killing hahaue.

I hate him to hell and back.

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Personally, I found Ogiku's way of saying "say, Kiku-chan..." very cute. At least I gave him a good side, _moi moi_!**

**I was listening to "Country Where the Sun Rises, Zipangu" by Hiroki Takahashi while writing this note. I love his voice. Duh. Go Kiku~**

**Must I translate those things that Xiao Chun and Yong Soo had said? Trust me, you don't want to know.**

**Reply Space:**

**To all the reviewers who guessed right, a "_bene_~!" from Feliciano!**

**Um, cookies to the first reviewer who answered right (um, even if you're anonymous?)!**

**Okay, next chapter features more of the Asian siblings' quality time with each other. Which, I guarantee you, will feature dislocated arms and more of our beloved Xiao Chun's sass. Oh, and some mildyakuza!Kiku if you squint.**

**I don't think I'll recount how Lukas's birthday party spanned out because I'd like to stick to the arc and finish it as soon as possible. All in all, three arcs are in this story (that includes Black Chrysanthemum already) and maybe one short character arc about Júhuā.**

**Continue the reviewing, guys! It boosts my morale! Oh, and advanced happy birthday to Norge!**


	14. Do Your Best, Xiao Chun zǐ!

**A/N: Finally, Júhuā appears! And he also appears in all his sadistic glory...**

**Read on! It goes all psychological starting here.**

**Also, this is quite an explosive chapter, even if the title rather sucks! I meant the 'explosive' part quite literally! (all glare at Xiao Chun)**

**Also, disclaimer: I don't own the poem 'Iroha'. That's the poem Júhuā discourses about. Okay, I admit. His love of poetry is just one of his many quirks.**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Do Your Best, Xiao Chun-zǐ!<em>**

_Day 34. Saturday._

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

_Time_: 9:40 am.

Yao decided to make some green tea and have a little family gathering in the lounge room of the boys' dormitories. When he gave out all the cups, we thanked him politely except for Xiao Chun, who tapped his fingers on the (ironically) coffee table instead. Yao glared at him pointedly.

Yao darkly mumbled something about disrespect. Xiao Chun, however, just sipped at his tea in a rather bored way and ignored Yao completely.

Meimei and Yong Soo were bickering on my other side. Meimei was accusing Yong Soo of sneaking out her English essay from her bag while at yesterday's dinner. Yong Soo was vehemently denying it.

"I didn't need to steal your essay just to be able to turn one in, _da ze_~!" Yong Soo was saying, his annoying curl bouncing angrily at the side of his head. "I finished mine already, okay?"

"Oh, that's what you call a believable story?" Meimei shrieked shrilly. I was almost struck deaf. "Well, I think you can't even begin working on yours! You're always busy with claiming that everything originated from Korea and that you must be acknowledged as the oldest one of us! Duh, before claiming that you're the oldest, be older than Xiao first! He's older than you by a matter of a month!"

"Don't call me Xiao. It's annoying," Xiao Chun put in. I almost smiled.

"Well, must I call you by your Cantonese name, then?" Meimei ground out, turning around and whipping her hair across my face. It stung. "Fine! I'll call you Lei Siu Chun instead of Li Xiao Chun! Happy? The 'Xiao' part is out!" I forgot she had "Xiao" in her full name too.

Xiao Chun (or was it Siu Chun?) rolled his eyes sardonically. "Suit yourself."

I sighed. It was as if it's just a normal day. Yao and I, however, knew it wasn't.

"Settle down, aru!" Yao shouted anxiously as Meimei tried dumping her tea on Yong Soo, who was crying and shouting "_Uri nara mansae!_" in an annoying tone as he stuck out his arms to prevent Meimei from pouring her tea on him.

I was getting seriously annoyed too (Yong Soo's voice was getting on my nerves). I glanced at Xiao Chun, who was maddeningly calm. I doubt it if even an earthquake will shake him up. Hm.

"STOP IT, ARU!" Yao roared, just as Meimei jerked the teacup in her hand. The tea arced through the air and landed on Yong Soo's shirt.

The lounge room became quiet as the few other people aside from us who decided to come here looked around nervously. "We came here because I have something to check, aru! Not because we are going to _kill each other_, aru yo!" He glared around at Meimei and Yong Soo, who were dumbstruck at his outburst.

"What are you going to check, then?" Xiao Chun asked idly, twirling his cup around on his fingers.

"If you're still capable of defending yourselves, aru," Yao replied, finally calming down. We all looked startled at his answer. Of course, excepting Xiao Chun, who yawned quietly and settled back on his couch.

"Of course we still can!" Meimei was the first to voice out her incredulity. "I can knock Yong Soo down any time of the day!"

"Hey, that's not true,_ da ze_~!" Yong Soo objected.

"Keep it down, guys," I said quietly. My head was aching from all this conflict. "We know that, but we need to be sure that you can stand up to Júhuā if ever you spot him loitering around."

Xiao Chun's eyes turned hard and dark when I mentioned the name. "I guess that does make sense somehow," he said slowly.

"Then, what are we going to do? Fight?" Meimei looked ready to pummel Yong Soo to the ground.

Yao nodded. "All of you are going to fight Kiku one by one, aru. This is the best way."

"What? But here's Yong -" Meimei was greatly disappointed, but she shot me a wary look.

"Well, you can take care of that problem later when we're finished, aru." Yao stood up.

"Give us three good reasons why we should fight Kiku instead of Yong Soo," Meimei insisted.

Yao gave her an exasperated look. "Okay, first one is that Kiku is probably as strong as Júhuā, which is whom we're guarding against."

"Oh, the joys of being a black-belter in karate," Xiao Chun sang sarcastically. I had difficulty in keeping my eyes from rolling by themselves.

"Second is that Kiku is merciless when it comes to the martial arts, so you'll have to bring all of your best efforts to battle," Yao continued.

"He really is merciless!" Yong Soo piped up. "He broke my left arm once while sparring!"

"You're lucky it wasn't your right arm," I said with a straight face.

"Last, Kiku is Júhuā's twin. That's good so that you can concentrate on your opponent's face and let all your qi out, aru!" Yao said with a great gesture.

"Ah, good," I found myself saying sarcastically. "They'll try to kill me."

"Don't worry, Kiku-gē. I'll try not to strangle you," Xiao Chun said with a smirk. "However, don't count on it."

I sat back on my couch with a big sigh. This was not going to end well.

* * *

><p>[<em>Júhuā<em>]

"_I ro ha ni ho he to, chi ri nu ru wo_..."

The brush moved delicately over the tablet, leaving a trail of black ink on its path. I wrote each character carefully, thinking over the poem's lines one by one. Funny, how the things you thought you had memorized already seem to escape you when you begin to think about them.

Ah, now I remember. I recited each syllable aloud as the brush traced over the wood.

"_Wa ka yo ta re so, tsu ne na ra mu_..."

Don't you just love the way poems sound? They are like delicate things that destroy easily when you let your mind grasp them. You don't let your mind grasp them. The only thing that can take them as they are made is your heart.

I dipped my drying brush in the dish of water and grinded it against the ink block. When it was black enough, I dribbled a little of the excess ink on the ink stone to ensure that nothing will drip from it while writing. When I was sure that it won't make a mess, I guided the tip on the tablet, not quite touching the surface.

"_U wi no o ku ya ma, ke fu ko e te_..."

I shook my hair out of my eyes and smiled at the poem I was rewriting. It is a very sad poem. A poem for a great man, if my mind doesn't fail me. A great man that knew death. It made me laugh with delight. How utterly poetic!

I continued to write. Of all my siblings, I was the most well-versed in literature. I devoured poetry and prose, be it Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Cantonese, or even English, as if there was no tomorrow. Of all those poems that I've read, this was my favorite. Euphemisms on death were the best things that I've encountered while reading poetry.

"_A sa ki yu me mi shi, we hi mo se su_..."

Ah, Honda Kiku. Every chrysanthemum that blossoms soon fades. I'll make sure of that, don't worry!

Tudor roses are also curious things, are they not, Kiku-chan? I'll see if I can spare the beautiful Tudor rose for you. Oh, iie, I do not promise!

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"Fighting stance, Meimei, aru! Aiyaa, chin up! Or else you'll be more easily attacked!"

We decided to do the test in the middle of the quadrangle. Meimei was wearing a relatively short red cheongsam instead of her customary pink qipao and white skirt. I was dressed in a light green kimono with a dark green hakama. In the corner of my eye, I saw that people were dropping by to watch what us weird Asians were up to.

The game is relatively simple. No rules, and the more effective the tactics, the better. It's fine to fight dirty, as long as you can hold the enemy for five counts in a submissive pose (that is, lying down or making him/her submit). If you can do that, you win.

"I know what I'm doing, Yao-gē!" Meimei shouted.

Hm, are you sure? Let's see.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

I'm booored. What should I do? Matt's bitching around and did not want to go out of his room, Iggy's not around for me to annoy, Kiku wasn't in his room, and Braginski is hiding out in his room from his sister, so I can't challenge him to a fight today. Oh, great...

...Maybe I should go to the gym for a little training on my basketball. I can't remember when I've last practiced shooting. Hm.

I prepared all the things that I would need in my bag and sauntered off to the gym, my sneakers bounding silently on the wooden floorboards.

When I was walking on the quad, I saw quite a small gathering in the middle. Hey, looks like some guys are fightin' it out! Cool. I decided to watch instead of continuing my first goal.

Hey, that's not... Kiku? And his kid sister? What are they doing? I decided to see what they're up to.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

Meimei screamed as I tackled her without warning. She lashed at me like a cat. I felt her fingernails scrabble at my right cheek as I leaned down and whispered at her ear.

"Enjoying this, are you, _Mei-chan_?" I asked, injecting venom in my tone. She perked up and quickly used her slender build to slither from under me, furious. She resumed her fighting stance again, brown eyes wide with anger.

I smirked widely. "You can never beat me, Mei-chan." Yeah. I can be as sadistic as Júhuā if I want to be. I narrowed my eyes as Meimei prepared to attack. She was the fastest among the three kids, and she can use that to her advantage. That is, if she'll keep her head.

"Take this!" Meimei shrieked as she ran and grabbed at my arm. She used the momentum to twist my arm the wrong way. I was taken a little off-guard, but I used her move to reverse the arm twist AND slam her back to my chest. Now we were doing the opposite. She now had her arm jerked in a strange angle as I rotated my arm mercilessly while holding my other arm against her throat tightly. I could either dislocate her arm or choke her if this continued.

Meimei let out a pained sound as we continued to struggle. Feeling that she didn't have the strength to return my move, I let go immediately after Yao counted up to five. She clutched her arm to her chest, gasping. Feeling oddly dissatisfied, I embraced her apologetically and towed her back to Yao, who was shaking his head.

"You need to be a bit forceful than that, aru," he told Meimei.

"I'm a girl, and my opponent is Kiku. How can I stand a chance?" she countered.

I pulled at the errant curl on the side of her head teasingly. "Use your head, silly."

She stuck out her tongue at me and pouted. "I hate you. You're so merciless."

"I know."

Yong Soo sauntered up next to fight me, wearing a lavender hanbok. He was the strongest of the three in terms of brute force. If he'll just use his head a little for this fight, maybe he'll actually beat me.

I resumed my stance. Yong Soo grinned and cracked his knuckles threateningly. I scoffed. "Come on, pretty boy," I cooed sweetly. His brow furrowed.

"_Uri nara mansae_!" he war-whooped before lunging forward, a murderous look on his face.

* * *

><p>[<em>Júhuā<em>]

It is a delightful morning in New York City. I was wearing a plain black silk kimono with a violet hanten acting as a coat. It can get pretty chilly here sometimes, I'll have to admit.  
>I was sitting on a chair in the verandah of the house wherein I was living while in New York.<p>

I examined myself in a small mirror that I always carried around tucked in my obi. I wasn't that vain originally, but I found that black clothing defined my eyes and skin more. So whenever I wear something black, I make it a point to see myself in the mirror.

I stared at the mirror blankly. My bangs must be cut shorter if I had to look like my brother, since they were now reaching the tops of my eyes. I brushed my bangs to the side of my face and examined my forehead closely. I haven't seen my plain face for a long time.

I tucked the mirror back in my obi and went from the verandah to the bathroom mirror, stopping only to snatch a pair of scissors from a dresser. My violet zori clacked on the tiled floor.

When the blades of the scissors reached the tips of my hair, I hesitated, staring at my reflection. Why would I have to cut it shorter? It certainly did no one harm. And besides, it's fun to look slightly different from my twin. Funny. In the past I used to hope that we'll never ever look different from each other in any way possible. But now it looks as if I'm dashing my own hopes to the rocks.

If you were to walk in on me at that moment, maybe you'll compare me to a porcelain puppet who was just beginning to reach up to cut off its strings. So that I won't be controlled anymore. No one should dictate for me. I alone should have the authority over my body. Especially if it concerns matters between me and my twin brother.

But the voice arrived. It messed it all up for me!

'_Don't fool yourself, love. Don't fool yourself. You're the black chrysanthemum. You've got much blood on your hands. Your siblings don't just hate you. They loathe you. You can't back out now, can you?_'

My eyes widened as I grasped the scissors tightly. Shut. Up. Damned voice.

'_Come on, a few snips and you'll be fine. There's a plan, Júhuā. Stick to it, dammit_.'

Shut up! My name is Ogiku, dammit! Kiku gave it to me!

'_Come on, cut the damned bangs shorter_.'

Oh, so you'll keep quiet if I cut my hair, huh? Then so be it! Just stop whining, bastard!

'_That's the spirit! Come on_...'

_Snip. Snip. Snip._ The hand which was holding the scissors was moving steadily, without a trace of my former hesitation. But I was crying. Tears were spilling from my dark eyes.

Scattered hairs soon populated the surface of the sink thinly. I watched my reflection as I continued to cut. When I was satisfied with my appearance, I cleaned off my mess and put the scissors back in their rightful place. Then I returned to the verandah and surveyed the street below. Then I pulled out the mirror from my obi and held it up to my face. I can't help it. But I felt the sadistic streak run through my body again as I stared into the image reflected on the mirror.

Why, hello there, Honda Kiku. I now have your present appearance.

Time for stage two of the plan, then? This is going to be fun. After all, wreaking havoc is certainly one of my best points since childhood.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

Yong Soo growled as he successfully pinned me for the third time to the ground, his glazed brown eyes staring at me in a really creepy manner. I hissed as he pushed harder to restrict me, my breaths getting ragged.

He leaned in nearer, so that he can gloat.

"Kiku-gē, you're beaten now. _Acknowledge that I am way older than you_!"

I didn't bother to answer that the count hasn't reached five yet and that I wasn't beaten until then, since I was bored with his chit-chat. So I did the only thing that I can do. I lay my head back and, well, crashed my forehead suddenly against his with all the force that I can muster. Which was still a lot.

He loosened his grip a tiny bit with a growl. Just a tiny bit. But a tiny opening has always been enough for me. I outmaneuvered him and practically lifted his body away from me. He tumbled onto the grass with me on top, but that didn't content me, so I flopped him on his front, drove my knee hard in his back, twisted up his arm, and finally dislocated it.

Fool. Use your head, won't you?

He shouted out in pain. I immediately let his arm loose after the count of five and pulled him up by his good arm. He shot me an exasperated but satisfied look.

"Work on your strategy, Yong Soo, always have a plan B for plan A," I told him as we cut across the quadrangle. He nodded sheepishly.

"But I can still top you any time of the day!" he said loudly.

Yao smirked. "Yeah, but today's evidently not your day, perhaps _tomorrow_?" His voice dripped with heavy sarcasm as he suddenly popped Yong Soo's arm back into place. Yong Soo howled with shock.

"That _hurts_, Yao-hyung!" he cried, flexing his now-healed arm.

"Shut up, Yong Soo. If you hadn't let your guard down, then this wouldn't have happened," Yao snapped.

"Xiao Xiao, you're next in line," I called mockingly, looking over at him.

"No need to remind me, Kiku-gē." Xiao Chun lolled his head and fixed steady brown eyes on me. He had on his burgundy duangua with the oversized sleeves.

I was a bit wary with his expression. Xiao Chun was sharp. If his strategy is effective, I know he can bring me down with minimal strength required.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

I tacked some posters about the coming Spring Festival on every bulletin board I encounter as I rounded the school. When I passed the quad, I heard some people cheering and someone yelling. Fearing that some students had gotten into a fight, I ran to the source of the noise and found the creepy Xiao Chun kid standing in an unusual pose with his legs apart and an arm stretched out, with another person - wait, was that Kiku? - doing the same. They were some distance apart, with some students watching with great interest all around them.

Oh, bloody hell. Are they going to fight it out? Kiku looked particularly cold and different. Was I seeing a new side of him? I shivered.

Xiao Chun made a low, keening sound in his throat. Kiku smiled gently, almost like a wildcat welcoming the prey, then launched himself ahead without warning. Xiao Chun received him with (literally) open arms as if he was anticipating the attack (I tell you, he's creepy like that!), taking his hold around Kiku's waist, but they were thrown backwards because of the force of Kiku's speed. They grappled on the grass, rolling and clawing at each other.

I turned away with a heavy sigh, grimacing. Okay, I am the student council president, and maybe I should stop them, but... Well, I admit it was fun watching two usually stoic people fight it out. Right?

Right!

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

For such a thin body, Xiao Chun sure has a lot of raw strength. That thought was what flashed through my mind as I tried to make him submit. He wouldn't.

"You're strong for a _gyaru-o_, I'll give you that," I ground out breathlessly as I pinned him on the ground. He moved fluidly, almost like water, as he snaked out from my grasp, his oversized sleeves almost tearing as I held on tightly.

"Got a lighter, Kiku-gē?" he whispered with a smirk. My eyes widened. I already knew what was next if he escaped my grasp.

Then that's what happened. He took advantage of my hesitation and overthrew me. He immediately took out some small orchid-shaped things and what looked like a lighter from his pocket and lit them carefully. Of course the entire process took less time than a blink of an eye, and before I can react, the orchid-shaped things were already lying on the ground beside my face. In a flash, I rolled away from them, fearing for my life.

They exploded with a relatively small bursting sound, but still with some damage to the grass. If I hadn't gotten away from them fast enough, I would have the side of my face covered in scars. I got up and glared at Xiao Chun, who looked smug.

"Bam," he said softly. "They work beautifully, Kiku-gē. Don't worry, they are too weak to kill. They just wound slightly, maybe a little burn or something if it makes contact with your skin."

I rolled my eyes. Remind me to never again pick fights with a Chinese who knew how to make firecrackers.

"Go, Siu Chun!" I heard Meimei cheer.

"Yeah! Bring him down! He dislocated my arm!" Yong Soo yelled.

_Way to go to stoke the fire, Yong Soo._

Xiao Chun resumed his stance and beckoned to me. I stood up slowly and also resumed my stance. Then, I launched myself suddenly on Xiao Chun's arm. If I gauged the distance and speed right, I can snap his arm if I slam him to the ground. I considered him as too feisty to hold.

He anticipated it and dodged, using my force to balance himself as he flicked his oversized sleeves toward me and dragged me to the ground. I landed hard on my right side and glared up at him. He smirked and restrained me to the ground using his weight. My brain was slowly focusing on the pain in my right arm. Tch. Don't...

Damn! He was putting something inside the neck of my kimono! Dammit, Xiao Chun! It was sliding down...

He leaped away from me.

"The true Chinese art explodes, Kiku-gē!"

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"Kiku!" I roared, just as the firecracker exploded in his clothes. Nah, it wasn't that big of an explosion since the sound it made was rather near to the sound that you can make by popping a bubble gum too loudly, but Kiku cringed as it burned him or something. It must hurt, dude! I mean, a firecracker? Geez.

Kiku was up, battle-weary after two-and-a-half fights, his brown eyes staring straight at Leon.

"Li Xiao Chun!" he shouted.

"Ready when you are, Kiku-gē," Leon said calmly, shaking his hair out of his eyes.

They ran at each other at the same time with war cries tearing from their throats, the sound of their bodies slamming against each other scaring me a bit. Then they were at it again. Kiku unbalanced Leon, making him fall with a yelp.

Unwittingly, I was now beside Yao. "Beautiful, aru," he was muttering. I made a face.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"_Yī!_"

I was pinning Xiao Chun with some effort to the ground. He was still struggling, but with his face-down position, he can't do anything about it.

"_Èr!_"

"You're strong, Xiao," I muttered softly. He smiled slightly.

"That's because Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee were my next-door neighbors." His sarcasm was slightly muffled because my grip was holding down his cheek in the grass.

"_Sān!_"

I laughed and playfully cuffed him on the head. "Yeah, right. Hong Kong did produce martial artists like them, huh? I sort of get the joke."

"Ow!" He grimaced.

"_Sì!_"

"You made my lip swell," he remarked calmly, as if he was stating that it was sunny today. "You head-butted my mouth when we were in the last round."

"That's my payback, Xiao," I said. "Your firecracker hurt like hell. I think it's busted a hole through my skin."

"_Touché_."

"_Wǔ_!" Yao counted out loud, and I let go of him immediately. He raised his upper body up slowly, rubbing his hair. I offered him a hand, and he took it. We then went back to Yao, who was smiling.

"Okay, guys. That was great, Xiao, aru!" he said, ignoring the latter's grimace at being called the name. "Kiku too, aru yo."

"Thank you, Yao-gē," Xiao Chun said idly. "But can we go in now and stuff? I need some ice."

"And sadly, I need some iodine," I added, grimacing as I felt the wound on my back. It was small, but it stung badly. "And maybe a bath and an immediate change of clothes, or I'll get poisoned by the powder in that firecracker."

"Hey, Kiku!"

I looked back at the person who called me, and saw that it was Alfred.

"Alfred-kun? You watched?"

He grinned widely. "Yeah! Dude, you're awesome! You can totally be an action star or something!"

Yao blocked his way. "Okay, no more fooling around, aru. Jones, go away, okay?"

"Aw, c'mon!" Alfred tried to get past. "I'm just talkin' to -"

"You heard Yao, Alfred. Go." A new voice joined the conversation. I peered behind Alfred and saw Arthur, carrying a stack of posters and looking irritated. "And Yao, it's entertaining, but will your siblings please refrain from doing it here again in the future? This is a bloody campus." He stared at me with a significant look. "All right, Kiku?" he added, tone softening somewhat as we shared a look that reeked of mutual understanding. I saw Xiao Chun smirk out of the corner of my eye.

"Yes, Arthur-san," I replied, blushing and glaring at Xiao Chun. He had quickly reverted to his usual expressionless state again, but I could have swore that he was keeping back a knowing smile.

"Then that's settled. Off you go with me, moron." Arthur, assuming the air of a pompous police officer arresting a misbehaving kid, towed Alfred away from us, who was complaining in a loud voice.

"Iggy, be reasonable!"

"_Quiet_, git!"

Their voices were lost in the distance as we walked farther away from them. Meimei tugged at my sleeve.

"Are you sure you're okay, Kiku-gē? You look a little unfocused."

I smiled at her slightly. "I'm all right, Mei. Just spacing out."

"Kiku-gē..." She looked uncertain about continuing, but she spoke anyway. "Are we going to be all right? I mean, Júhuā-gē..."

"We'll be fine," I assured her. "Júhuā can never harm a hair of your heads as long as you keep your heads with you and never seek him out."

Xiao Chun put an arm around Mei. "That's right, Mei. Don't be such an incurable worry-wart."

She punched him lightly in the arm.

I suddenly thought of the question that had been running in my mind ever since the test ended. "Xiao Chun, I have a question to ask you..."

"Shoot."

"How did you sneak the materials you used for your fireworks inside the campus? I know you don't buy commercially-made fireworks since you can make some yourself. And IF you did sneak in the materials, that'll include the gunpowder. I mean, kami-sama, _gunpowder_? How did you get away with that?"

Xiao Chun smirked widely. "Trust me, Kiku-gē, you wouldn't want to know."

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Sorry for too much Xiao Chun coolness in this chapter. He's just so awesome to resist! (fangirl scream from me)**

**Sorry for the cliffhanger brought to you by Xiao Chun. He has to be always the one who wants to ruin the fun, huh?**

**One note: about the "Xiao" comment made by Xiao Chun. "Xiao" means small in Mandarin Chinese. :)) That's why Xiao Chun pretends to get offended and tells Mei to stop calling him "Xiao" only. You all get it? Okay, that's all.**

**If you want to know what Xiao Chun's voice is like, listen to the third part of Hetalia Fantasia (available in YouTube if you don't have the CD). He has a part there. If you want to know what Meimei's voice is like, you can search the Internet and download the mini-drama track from China's character CD (that drama about festivals and stuff?). It's not available in YouTube. Duh.**


	15. Of Black Chrysanthemums and Tudor Roses

**A/N: Hallo! The last chapter had me in a daze with the "Asian fever". Okay, I apologize in advance if this chapter is a bit long. And if I rushed the arc. I mean, this is the climax of the arc already, and the next chapter is the last chapter of the arc AND the beginning of the next arc. I just want to move on to the next arc before the end of summer. Haha.**

** Disclaimer: I don't own the song 'Blood Queen' by Aki Misato. Creepy lyrics, but it's freaking epic. It's the opening theme of the animé _Princess Resurrection_. I also don't own the great song 'Absolutely Invincible British Gentleman' by the amazing Noriaki Sugiyama.**

** That's all, so let's go on! Warning: rockstar!Arthur is in the house, dudes.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Of Black Chrysanthemums and Tudor Roses<strong>_

_Day 43. Monday. The Spring Festival is here!_

* * *

><p>[<em>Júhuā<em>]

It was relatively easy to sneak in the Academy. I was in a black kimono embroidered with white chrysanthemums, with a purple hanten embroidered with red rose petals. In one hand, I grasped an innocuous-looking ebony fan. It can be a weapon in several deadly ways. Depends on which part of the body I stick this onto.

I disarmed the guards at the gates quickly and quietly, my fan doing its job effectively and without fuss. Don't worry, I didn't kill them, I just knocked them unconscious. If I kill them, they'll only take Kiku's attention away from the deed that I will carry out tonight. I want his full and undivided attention to the aftermath of my actions.

The rose is waiting to be picked!

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

You know what? I do think it is unwise if you decide to have a student council president as a boyfriend. Because his schedule will be twice as busy as yours. Thrice as busy when it comes to school activity days. Like now.

Now I have no one but a noisy Yong Soo to keep me company in the quad, where the festival was being held. Booths were lined up on all sides, a stage was erected on the center of the grassy quad, and a million lights brightened up the darkness of the evening.

Seasonal festivals in World W Academy are generally held by the end of the season (as opposed to celebrating them at the beginning) as a sort of break for all the stresses of the past months. When a festival is held, you could say that it's like a motley of colors in the Academy, because everyone gets all flashy with their best national costumes, or else clothes that pertain to their culture. I was in a dark blue, almost black, silk kimono with a pattern of violet blocks on the hem, with a lavender-colored hanten over the whole thing. Yong Soo, meanwhile, was in a pale blue-and-white silk hanbok. From what I last saw, Elizabeta-senpai's costume was the most colorful, with maybe a hundred different colors on her díszmagyar.

We met Yao standing awkwardly in a corner, wearing a red-and-gold han fu and was looking impatient. I led Yong Soo over to him and asked why was he looking so upset.

"Nothing, aru," he said, shaking his sleeves to get his hands out of them. If you're wondering what a han fu looks like, it's where the kimono was originally designed from. So it looks a bit like a robe with all the works, only a bit more butterfly-like because it can accommodate more colors than a kimono can.

"I see," I had said when I didn't see at all. Maybe he was waiting for a classmate or what. I shrugged and excused Yong Soo and myself. He could only nod distractedly as we walked away.

When Yong Soo was finishing up his third candy apple, I felt someone following us. I wasn't entirely sure, but my senses were tingling weirdly. I asked Yong Soo in an undertone if he felt it too. Yong Soo looked nervous and shook his head frantically, finally saying, "J-just ignore it, Kiku-hyung."

I took his denial as a lie, since he was sweat-dropping literally. After a few more steps, I whipped around suddenly, to see a very unlikely person staring at me with wide, dark eyes.  
>Frankly, I was startled. I never expected this.<p>

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

I was bumming outside of the boys' washroom in a cowboy outfit, my hands on my hips as I waited impatiently for Matthew to finish up washing his face. He soon came out in a white anorak and a red tuque on his head, also a red ceinture fléchée around his waist, wiping at his face with his handkerchief.

"You don't have to be so freakin' slow," I complained. "You're like a girl. Did you preen on the mirror before finally deciding on coming out?"

He looked offended. "Al, unlike you, I do care about my outward appearance."

I ignored the slight on my appearance and dragged him by the arm to the quad. "C'mon, I have to find Kiku! And Iggy!"

"_W-what_?" Matthew squeaked anxiously, but I was far too enthusiastic to care.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

Before my eyes, I saw a slender Korean girl, presumably a freshman because of her extreme timidity as I paid her attention, wearing a light pink hanbok with a light green skirt decorated with white flowers, and an ornament on her hair which had little golden bells dangling from it. She had long dark hair which she wore in a braid and wide brown eyes which are currently glazed over with pure shock at being caught.

"A-ah, _mianhamnida_, Honda-seonbae," she apologized, blushing rather profusely. "I was... I..."

"It's all right," I told her gently. "Are you the one following us?"

She just covered her red face with the fan that she had brought and mumbled something that I didn't catch. I glanced over at Yong Soo crossly, but then saw that his face had turned red too. Funny.

"Hm, wait. Scratch the question. Are you following Yong Soo?" I asked as a realization dawned on me.

"I -" The poor girl nodded and looked as if she was ready to faint, so I tapped Yong Soo and whispered to him, "Get this sorted out tonight, Yong Soo. Or else I'll kick your ass to next month." He nodded, sweating, and I went off alone, smiling. So Yong Soo finally gets a person who actually admired him. Nice. I stepped in to the garden, watching the fountain with its waters twirling high onto the air and falling back to the basin with a tinkling sound.

That's when someone crashed hard on me. I was completely overthrown to the grass on my side, shocked at the suddenness of events. I stood up rather crossly (why did I get to have someone to push me to the ground while I was wearing silk? But at least it wasn't the most expensive one, or I'll not hesitate to get angry) and faced the intruder.

"Oh, Kiku!" Alfred? What the hell? I brushed off the dirt that was on my hands and on the right side of my kimono and my hanten, seething a little. Matthew noticed the damage done to my clothing and apologized on the behalf of his brother, his face mortified.

"Good evening, Alfred-kun, Matthew-kun." I greeted them rather coldly as I examined my dirty hanten irritably, on which the damage stood out more, being of a light color.

"Oh... Are you okay?" Alfred said, noticing my problem at long last. I was a bit outraged at this, but kept it carefully hidden under a blank expression.

"Yes, I'm quite fine, I -" I was cut off as his large hands shot out and began brushing off the flecks of soil on my hanten. I watched blankly as he carefully tried to repent on the damage he caused.

I sighed inwardly.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

I patrolled around the grounds, keeping my eyes peeled and my ears perked out for misbehaving students who are using the noise of the festival as a cover so that they can do their mischiefs. You know what kind.

Then, I heard someone speaking from the foyer as I strolled in the second floor.

"Lizzie, that's outrageous. You want to do it here? Oh, come on."

"Why not? It's fun! And thanks to me, you got away from all that noise."

"Liz... I'm not in the mood, okay?"

"You're so prudish! Come on. Just one peck will do if you don't want."

"So that you can take a picture of us and shove it on Gilbert's face? Are you crazy or something?"

"Well, it's necessary so that he won't bug me. I mean, girls love attention, but not when it's getting outrageous. And you know Gilbert. He won't admit he's wrong until he realizes he's wrong. And he has such a thick head, I mean, it's taken him ages to realize that I like him. When I said that you and me are now together, that's when he finally noticed me!"

I frowned. Students who are making out is one thing, but students TRYING to make out to take a picture so that the girl will make a suitor jealous is another. I mean, nothing is happening... yet. Shall I wait here or something?

Hell, I'm the bloody student council president. I should know. So I decided against beating around the bush. I stepped out from my spot to expose myself in their plain view.  
>"Mr Edelstein, Miss Héderváry. Having fun, I see?"<p>

I saw Roderich and Elizabeta glance around, shock on having been caught standing out sharply on their faces.

"O-oh, Mr Kirkland," Roderich stuttered as he tried to straighten his clothes. "Um -"

"Go back down, you two. Or else I'll be forced to report this to the prefect," I declared darkly. To my immense relief, they obeyed, although Elizabeta rolled her eyes at me incredulously.

I strolled down the silent darkness of the corridor, my eyes straining to hear beyond the silence so that I can find out whether there are more couples waiting to be caught redhanded.

What I heard was clacking, unhurried footsteps behind me. I stopped with the flashlight in my hand, my body tensing, ready to smack the intruder if he or she gets too close.

It's bloody scary, dammit. This is like some cheap horror movie!

A small, thin hand suddenly dropped on my shoulder, making me jump with a shout.

"Bloody hell!"

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"Hey, Kiku, d'you know where Iggy is? I ain't seen him for some time now..." Alfred looked worried as he ate the cotton candy that Matthew was holding. "I mean, it's a long time now since the festival has started..."

I knitted my eyebrows. "I guess he's performing his duties as student council president somewhere. He needs to keep the peace even at times like this."

Matthew nodded earnestly. "Kiku's right. I'm sure we'll run into him sometime during the festival."

Alfred suddenly bit a large portion of the cotton candy (I was shocked) and wolfed it down without batting an eyelid. I gulped and looked away, searching for any one of my siblings in the crowd.

"Kiku-gē!"

Meimei shot out of nowhere, crashing to me like a furry red comet. She looked up at me, smiling. "So you're just right here! I searched for you all over!"

"Ah," was what I merely said. She pouted teasingly, her brown eyes sparkling with the lights.

"Anyways, I thought you were with Yong Soo. Where is he?" Mei added, looking around.

"Oh, right," I said, recalling the incident from before with the Korean girl. "He's with a girl."

"Really?" Meimei's eyes looked amused. "We're talking about Yong Soo here."

"No kidding, a girl, from your batch presumably, was following us earlier. I left him with her since they looked particularly flustered."

"Ah, long braided hair, perhaps? Very pretty and pale?"

"Hmm, yes," I answered, flashing back to the sight of the girl who was almost as white as a pear blossom.

"She's in my class. Park Eun Mi. She's very popular with the guys in my year. I don't know why she seemed to like our Im Yong Soo so much, but she always follows him around secretly when it's break time. What she didn't know was that Yong Soo likes her too." Meimei grinned, maybe imagining Eun Mi and Yong Soo as a couple. "She was shocked when she found out that I was his sister, since she probably thought that I'll spill the beans to Yong Soo. But I promised her I'll keep her secret until she gets the courage to confess. I guess the time has come."

"I see..."

Alfred let out a shout suddenly as he looked at his watch. "Matt, it's seven-thirty already! Let's go! We're expected there already!"

"Ah!" Matthew was dragged off by his twin, leaving us staring after them in confusion.

"What's up with them?" Mei said with a puzzled look.

"No idea." I frowned. "Hey, where's Xiao Chun? Isn't he with you?"

"Meh. I dunno!" Meimei looked irritated. "Siu Chun just up and left when we reached this place! He didn't even tell me where he's going!"

"Hm." I shrugged in defeat. "Anyways, he can take care of himself."

"Yeah. I'm sure he stuffed himself _full _of firecrackers while dressing," Meimei scoffed, tossing her head in a very good imitation of Elizabeta.

"We're of the same wavelength as usual, Mei," I said with a sigh.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

"Bloody hell, Sakura! You _startled_ me!"

"I'm sorry, Kirkland-senpai. But you have to go down now to prepare for the evening's program."

Sakura Honda, dressed in a light violet kimono with a cherry blossom pattern, looked shocked when I shouted at her, but bowed shyly as I continued glaring at her. She was one of the first-year representatives. Very shy girl, with dark hair cut in a bob and with bright amber eyes.

"They sent you without a light?" I muttered in disbelief as I led the way back downstairs.

"We Japanese are no longer superstitious, Kirkland-senpai," she said softly. "I don't believe in ghosts."

"I meant that as a rhetorical question, Sakura." I sighed as we descended.

"Of course, senpai." She bowed lightly. I sighed again.

We finally reached the student council office, which was temporarily used as a dressing room for the guys who will be performing numbers for the program. I was surprised to see Alfred already there with Matthew, halfway through their changing.

Sakura bowed once and left, the hem of her kimono swishing over her tabi socks like rippling water. I watched her retreating back and closed the door.

"Funny, it's the first time you beat me in terms of punctuality," I said sarcastically to Alfred as I began to change my clothes.

"Yeah, where've you been?" Alfred asked curiously as he pulled on his shirt.

"I'm just patrolling around the area," I said shortly as I tugged on a gray t-shirt and leather trousers. "Feliciano and the third-year representatives were supposed to be the ones on the job, but he chickened out, so I filled in on his supposed-to-be task."

"Oh, 'zat so?" he said. Alfred shrugged and put a gray jacket on to complete his outfit. "There. Ready to rock!"

"Don't shout like that, moron. My eardrums will soon burst because of you."

He just grinned and tossed a pair of wooden drum sticks in the air, catching them on each hand with a smug look.

* * *

><p>[<em>Júhuā<em>]

I was already inside the school for a long time by now, my heart as calm as if I was walking in a garden and looking at the flowers. What's happening on the middle of this quadrangle? It looked like a mini-concert or something. I stuck to the shadows, my kimono helping me a little because of its dull colors.

_'Be in character, Júhuā.'_

I know. Quit ordering me around. Please?

I slipped through the crowd with my head down. I stuck to my plan. No one must see my face. Except for two persons.

There, I saw him. Looking up at the stage, smiling at the performers of the intermission number unfolding in front of the crowd. He was wearing a very dark blue shade of kimono. Perfect.

I started forward slowly and deliberately, an involuntary smirk forming on my face.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

I was smiling with delight as Arthur, in an outfit that no one expected the uptight, cynical, "gentlemanly" student council president to wear, sang to a rock song with Alfred on the drums, Matthew on the electronic organ, and a third-year classmate of his playing the bass guitar. Arthur himself was on the electric guitar and also provided the vocals.

He had a good voice, and he played his instrument well in my opinion. He did his part well.

"By reading the seven stars, I can predict the tomorrow..." Arthur sang with such feeling, I loved hearing his voice.

"Curry, Chinese cuisine, my holiday houses' meals... meat pie is delicious!"

I let myself be lost in the lyrics, my heart swelling deep inside me as he looked so confident and totally in his element. This was the other persona of Arthur Kirkland. The persona which likes rock music and doesn't hesitate to make a fashion statement. I did flick my eyes at the last one. He looked good in his outfit, I admit, which consisted of a black leather jacket over a gray and white T-shirt, black leather pants, red laced shoes, and a red checkered bandanna tied around his neck. I was a little unused, though.

"Both manners and tradition, wit is good as well," Arthur was singing, as he wielded the red electric guitar he was strumming as if it was a weapon. "No pain, NO GAIN! Orders are ORDERS!" He roared out the last two lines, and the audience laughed appreciatively. I laughed too, seeing his face glowing as he got into his rhythm better.

I was bumped from behind by someone. I turned around to see who it was.

That face that I dreaded to see! Two wide dark eyes stared into me calmly, before turning away. My own eyes widened with shock and rage.

_Júhuā!_

"I'm sorry," he said softly, not quite looking at me. Was he smirking?

He slipped past me silently and quickly. I debated for a moment whether to believe that it was indeed he or just a figment of my hyperactive imagination. I turned to the direction he proceeded to, but I couldn't see him because of the tall figures of the students blocking my sight. I had a nasty feeling somewhere in the back of my heart.

Forgetting about watching the rest of the program, I slipped through the crowd to search for what I hoped was just a product of a hallucinating mind.

* * *

><p>I can't find him. Arthur's number was over by now, and some seniors occupied the stage to dance. I was so preoccupied that I bumped into a surprised Xiao Chun. He was in a red and white duangua (although the sleeves were now of normal length) and matching white pants.<p>

"Kiku-gē, you look frantic. Are you all right?" His eyes were expressionless as always.

I debated whether or not to tell him what I was doing. Every moment was slowly putting him deeper into obscuring shadows. I then decided that my best bet is to have him tag along, since I can use his help if ever Júhuā decides that it would be fun to fight.

I said a single word.

"_Júhuā_."

His eyes widened with unmistakable anger, and he followed when I tore through the crowd.

Where are you, Júhuā? Show yourself!

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"Iggy, where're you going?" I asked as Arthur opened the door of the student council office after dressing in the clothes he had worn before the number. "I thought we'll be returning to the dormitory together!"

"I'm just going to the lavatory, git. I'll be right back." Arthur then went out and closed the door behind him with a sharp click.

Matthew sighed and looked at me exasperatedly. "You're really so quick when it comes to jumping to conclusions, huh, Al..."

"Matt, do me a favor and shut up."

He chuckled. "Come on, Al. It's not bad to admit that you do have some bad points every now and then."

"Sez who?"

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

I washed my face carefully, after which I dried myself thoroughly and proceeded to go out, but before I can do so, the door opened suddenly.

"K-Kiku -?"

He smiled weirdly, and I was struck by the surreal quality of this scene. His eyes were strangely glittery like dull gems. He tilted his head slightly.

"Arthur-san..." He uttered each syllable as if reciting poetry. "The moon is so bright tonight, don't you think?"

"H-huh?" I was puzzled by his odd reply, but I didn't comment further on that.

"Won't you take a walk with me outside?" he said, the strange smile still on his face. "It is a pity to let the empress of the night rise to her full glory without even watching."

"E-eh, is that so -?" I can't think of anything else to say. I felt as if I was dreaming or something. "I-I guess it would be nice to take a walk outside... Let's just go and tell Alfred that -"

"That won't be necessary, Arthur-san." He started to leave, the long sleeves of his black kimono fluttering lightly as he turned around.

I was surprised. "Oh, but..."

He looked back, clear brown eyes questioning. "Are you coming, Arthur-san?" he said sweetly. I blushed.

"Okay," I finally answered, sighing. "But better make this quick. I promised Alfred that I'll accompany him back to the dorm. The poor guy is rather afraid of ghosts supposedly lurking around the grounds."

"Don't worry," he said softly, still with a smile. "We'll do this nicely and quickly."

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

It was now eight-thirty, but still no Iggy returning. I was getting a little worried. Iggy usually takes up just a little amount of time when going to the bathroom, since he's just that harried a person. And now it's about twenty minutes after he went out.

Matt was also worried. "Should we check him in the bathroom? It's getting late," he said, blue eyes widening with worry.

I rolled my eyes. "It's just eight-thirty, Matt. It's not late. But I agree with your suggestion. Maybe we should check him out. Perhaps he ate something before the program that disagreed with him, and now he's puking it out."

"Let's go," Matt said after making a face at my cool sense of imagination, and led the way out of the office.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"You sure it was him?" Xiao Chun said as we broke out of the crowd and into the main school building. "I mean, think about the reason why he revealed himself to you."

"I... I think he wants me to search for him." I was breathing shallowly as I pondered.

"Exactly my point, brother." Xiao Chun kept up effortlessly with my small steps. "What do you think he's going to do now?"

"Arthur," I gasped, stopping abruptly. Xiao Chun looked around, surprised. "He told me something about playing with the love of my life."

"What?" His eyes widened. "Why didn't you tell Yao?"

"I was keeping it quiet, did you forget?" I snapped with an uncharacteristically sharp voice.

He scowled. "This is getting harder. If he wants to play with someone, play it is. He won't kill the Brit. He'll play with him, and hard. You get me?"

I nodded. "Let's go, Xiao. I won't have him messing with anyone else in my life." I guessed that Arthur must be in the student council office, or else in close proximity of it. I must reach him before Júhuā does.

"With you on that, Kiku-gē."

Throwing away all thoughts for my own safety, I strode forward with Xiao Chun on my side, the ominous darkness swallowing us both.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

The night air was cool against my skin as we stood in front of the greenhouse. The greenhouse was situated directly behind the main building, and is detached from the school grounds. If you'll observe it from the drive in front of the main building, the race track was on the right of the main building and the dormitories are situated in a building to its left.

I glanced at Kiku, who was singing softly under his breath. I caught a fragment of his song.

"..._Hitotsukiri no shinjitsu wo hoshi de egaite ageru, hikari ga nagasu namida_..." The lyrics had a creepy feeling to them, but since I can't understand, I wasn't one to judge.

"Hey, Kiku..." I called out to him tentatively. He paused his singing and looked at me with a mocking smile on his lips. I was confused. Had he undergone a complete personality change this evening? He seemed so... weird...

He took a step forward. "I'm sorry, Arthur-san, but I'm afraid I'll have to admit that I'm actually not Kiku." He said this calmly and deliberately, his head tilted sideways. His sleeves fluttered in the wind as he spoke.

I was a little creeped out by this extraordinary statement, but I tried to keep my head. Because somehow I expected that he wasn't Kiku. I mean, Kiku smiles so rarely, but his smile had a completely different feel. "What do you mean?" I said, glancing at the surroundings without turning my head much. "How can you not be Kiku?"

"Because I'm not," he said simply. "How can I be Kiku when I'm not him?"

"Then... who are you?" I asked as my heart began to pound. "And what have you done to the real Kiku?" No kidding, I did say that.

He seemed amused at my statement. "You wanted to know who I am? Actually, you don't need to know that piece of information about me. Kiku is coming here... soon. I can feel him."

"He doesn't know where we are," I said slowly, relief flooding my mind momentarily at the thought of Kiku never having to meet... himself. His crazy and creepy self. Well, I could live with that.

"He's not stupid, Arthur-san," the not-Kiku replied, throwing the honorific casually at me. Are samurai like this before killing an enemy? "He's as sharp as a knife."

He strode closer still. "I've always been curious as to how poetry stimulates the mind and gives it the will to act on the inspiration that it gives. You could say that while doing that in my childhood, I've realized that I had one thing that I wanted most."

"What -?" I couldn't help asking. He looked at me curiously, as if wondering if I just said that.

"Freedom," he said simply.

_Three, two, one..._

_ Run. Bloody run off._

That's when I did break into a run. Away from him, away from all this madness...

"Oh, an escaping hostage? This is not going to be fun."

My leg suddenly buckled under me, making me trip and sprawl out on the grass. I looked at my leg, finding blood sluggishly trickling from my leg where the bullet entered. I looked over at the not-Kiku and saw that he was now holding a pistol with a silencer fitted on it.

"Red is a beautiful color, my dear Āsā-san." He walked beside me and examined the wound. "And it means extreme joy. Poetic, yes?"

I glared at him with the nastiest look that I can muster.

"Let's hope that your little white chrysanthemum reaches you in time, Igirisu-jin. Or else you'll die a slow, bloody death."

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

We reached the office. I was relieved at first to see the lights on, but that spark of hope was extinguished when we entered.

"There's no one here, Kiku-gē."

"Thanks for stating the obvious." I was starting to get irritated. Where was I supposed to search for him? Was he already in the dormitory? But there was his usual backpack lying abandoned on a chair. Arthur won't leave his things thoughtlessly anywhere, or else if he did leave something, he'll be back for it immediately.

Also, Alfred's varsity bag was also there (kinda obvious because of the embroidered name on the side) and another unremarkable bag, which I assumed to be Matthew's. Where are they three?

"D'you think the three of them went out somewhere together?" Xiao Chun suggested tentatively.

"Hmm..." My head was muddled by all of this, and for a minute I wondered what to make of this, but suddenly the door of the office burst open to admit a puzzled-looking Alfred and Matthew. They looked surprised and a little relieved to see us there.

"Kiku! Have you seen Arthur?" His first question had me reeling in shock. Xiao Chun glanced at me meaningfully, and I felt threads of unspeakable rage weaving through my heart. "I mean, he went to the lavatory earlier but he took so long that Matt and I decided to check him out. But when we entered the lavatory, he wasn't there. He must've gone somewhere, but he didn't even go back to at least say that he's going..." He was cut off when he saw my face. "All right, Kiku?"

I ignored Alfred's question and turned to Xiao Chun. "Let's check the lavatory." If Júhuā wants us to find him, he must have left a clue somewhere.

Xiao Chun, seeing the logic, nodded quietly and we proceeded out, not minding Alfred and Matthew who both followed us curiously.

I cautiously pushed open the door to the first floor boys' lavatory, taking in the sight of the walls, mirrors, and cubicles. But Xiao Chun was the one who spotted it.

"There's a piece of paper on the floor, Kiku-gē," he muttered. I saw it too. A folded piece of thick parchment paper. He must have decided to write it with ink and chose parchment paper so that it won't seep through. Júhuā was an expert when it comes to Chinese and Japanese calligraphy, so it would make sense that he'd choose to write his first ever message to me ever since he was cast out from the family in his trademark style.

I unfolded the paper and read what was written.

"チューダーは、ガラスの家にきれいに咲いて上昇した。"

"Chūdā wa, garasu no ie ni kirei ni saite jōshō shita."

Or simply put in English, "The Tudor rose blooms prettily in the glass house."

Is this a riddle of some sort? Tudor rose... Shit. The floral emblem of England. Arthur is English. So Júhuā did set his sights on Arthur. Careless me.

Glass house. The... greenhouse? It was the only building in the Academy's grounds that was made solely of glass and metal. This is it... perhaps?

I cursed loudly in Japanese, startling the three people behind me with my outburst. I turned around to face them. Xiao Chun looked apprehensive, while Matthew and Alfred looked confused.

"Matthew-kun, can you get Yao for me and tell him to get to the greenhouse? Please?" It was a way to get Matt off the scene and to get immediate help. I was folding up the paper and tucking it in my obi while speaking. They all looked surprised.

"They're in the greenhouse?" Alfred asked.

"I'm not sure, but I read it as that way." I cursed under my breath. "Xiao, let's go."

"I'll come too." Alfred suddenly looked determined. I groaned.

"Alfred-kun," I started to say, but he interrupted.

"Iggy is my big bro, so it's my business to see if he's okay. I don't understand what's happening, and why this is happening, but I'm going too." He spoke with a hard voice.

I was half-tempted to curse again, but decided against it. "Okay, but Alfred-kun, please keep an open mind about what you might see. Alright?"

He gulped and nodded, a reckless gleam in his eyes.

"Let's go," I said, and we headed out in the night. Matthew split from us and headed back to the quad for Yao. I don't think he'll get to us in time, but at least Matthew will be out of the way.

* * *

><p>[<em>Júhuā<em>]

I laid the now semiconscious Arthur Kirkland on the grass and sighed apologetically to him. I did know that I have to knock him down intentionally or unintentionally before Kiku came. That way, no one innocent would be hurt. Add the adverb 'badly', since Arthur was hurt already. Oh well.

"Arthur-san, do you know that once in his history, Japan considered his emperors as children of the red sun, and therefore are gods themselves?" I glanced at him. He looked faintly puzzled at the masochism. "But Japan fooled himself. The emperors are ordinary persons that also make mistakes and can destroy the country with the simplest wrong command. The real children of the red sun is Japan and his people. They alone can change the land. They alone can decide on their destiny."

I knelt on the ground beside him and examined his wound. "As I've said, red is a joyous color. A courageous color. The color of freedom, also." I glanced at his face, which was paling considerably as his blood streamed down.

"I am truly sorry, Arthur-san." I smiled lightly at him. "I hope you can forgive me for the injury that I've caused you when this trouble is all over."

"Belt up, bloody wanker." He grimaced as he tried to move his leg.

"An appropriately ironic word for you, dear sir." I glanced at his leg again. "I think you're even bloodier than me."

He snorted, albeit his weakness was ruining the effect. "That's not what I meant."

"Of course."

I caressed the pistol in my hands. The cold metal felt unreal in my hands. I was again having second doubts about the whole thing, but I've reached this far. No backing out.

_'That's right, love.'_

Fuck you, voice. Fuck you.

_'That's not a very poetic word now, Júhuā.'_

Bite me. I was getting bored, but then I sensed someone coming.

I instinctively gripped the gun and bowed my head. Shit. He's here.

...A little correction, darling.

_They_'re here.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

I was sure that I've volunteered myself to be a part of this mission to find Iggy, and that Kiku told me to keep an open mind about the whole thing, but the scene that my eyes suddenly perceived as we reached the front of the greenhouse was... nothing but surreal.

Iggy lay on the grass, his head turned away from us and his arms and legs sprawled untidily. I hissed in anger when I noticed that one of his legs was shining scarlet with what I assumed was blood. The moonlight was clearly imprinting the other character who stood out in this strange picture.

It was a slender figure in a black kimono, whose head was bowed. My eyes widened when I saw that he/she had a gun nestled on his/her lap. Then he/she raised his/her head, and I was shocked.

He looked like Kiku! I shook my head a few times to see if it was just my imagination at play again, but when I looked, he was still there. What the _fuck_?

There, I dropped the f-bomb because I was so flabbergasted.

I glanced at the real Kiku. He looked livid, maybe for the very first time since I've known him.

"Kiku-gē, are we really going to kill Júhuā?" Leon asked warily, taking out three stick-shaped firecrackers and a lighter.

"If we can." Kiku's voice was hard. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of him.

Leon was calmly lighting up the three firecrackers. They were a bit larger than the ones he threw during his fight against Kiku, which made me sweat a bit.

"_Kung hei fat choi_," was his sarcastic remark when he sensed how I stared at his 'weapons'.

And saying that, he rushed out from the safety of the shadows and threw them to Kiku's doppelgänger. Kiku stripped off his sandals so that he can move better and beckoned for me to tend to Arthur as he followed Xiao Chun.

I sighed and went to Arthur, trying to make sense of all of this.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

_'All students, please return to your dormitories. There was a serious security breach. I repeat, all students, please return to your dormitories. There was a serious security breach.'_

The announcement rang loudly across the grounds of the Academy. Júhuā was calm as he nimbly dodged the firecrackers, fluidly rolling away as they exploded and pointing a pistol at me as he knelt on one knee, a smile gracing his lips. I snarled under my breath.

"They've found out what I've done, somehow," he said softly.

"Tch." Xiao Chun spat sarcastically on the ground. "You always do a decent job, do you? How did you incapacitate the guards neatly?"

Júhuā drew a fan from inside his kimono, and opened it as gracefully as if he was just dancing to a Japanese song. "This." It was a fairly ordinary fan, making me marvel at his versatility in using virtually anything as deadly pieces of weaponry.

"You snuck in here with just a fan as your weapon?" Xiao Chun smirked. "You are as cunning as ever, Júhuā-gē."

"Thank you for the sarcastic compliment, Xiao-chan," he said lazily. My attention was still focused on the pistol aimed at me.

Xiao Chun's eyes blazed with rage when he heard the words "Xiao-chan" issue from Júhuā's lips. It was Ogiku's pet name for Xiao Chun when we were kids.

That's when he lost control and attacked suddenly.

* * *

><p>[<em>Júhuā<em>]

I'll give Xiao Chun credit for attempting to draw first blood. But trust me, the angrier a fighter is, the blinder he gets.

I embraced his middle, dropping the gun in the process, and used the momentum to throw him over my shoulder. He tumbled on the grass and was up in no time, breathing furiously and in a fighting stance. His eyes were pools of fury.

"How much have you grown, Xiao-chan!" I said with a sigh, settling on a stance too. "Come, fight me like a true Asian."

Xiao Chun's face flushed, and he let out an enraged snarl. "I will kill you, you _shén jīng bìng_."

I smiled and stared back, my conflicting thoughts reaching their peak. "Nice language, my brother."

"_Belt up!_" Xiao Chun roared before tackling my shoulder.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

I watched Xiao Chun and Júhuā engage in the dance of death, as Yao so prettily called it. I also spotted the gun lying near them as Júhuā and Xiao Chun fought, Júhuā using aikido, presumably because of his hampering clothes, and Xiao Chun throwing all techniques to the winds and focusing on fighting as dirty as possible.

I decided to turn my attention to Arthur and Alfred. Alfred was wrapping a piece of cloth torn from his shirt to wrap around Arthur's freely bleeding leg. I cursed and decided to run over to lend a hand.

I knocked off Alfred's hands and corrected his sloppy bandaging, my breaths shallowing as I saw how much blood he has lost. His face was chalky-pale, and he was barely stirring. I tightened the makeshift bandage and checked him all over. To my immense relief, he was breathing steadily.

I remained my attention on Arthur for the next few minutes, feeling the warmth of his hand and wishing that all this trouble will be over soon, before standing up and glancing over at the struggling couple on the ground.

* * *

><p>[<em>Júhuā<em>]

"You have to eat more cups of rice, Xiao-chan," I whispered in Xiao Chun's ear as I successfully pinned him to the grass like a butterfly transfixed to a piece of board. "To help build up your stamina..."

Xiao Chun didn't answer, but I saw a reckless gleam in his eyes. I narrowed my eyes into slits.

"Tell me, _shén jīng bìng_, the reason why you killed our adopted _lìngshòutáng_," he snarled viciously.

The voice told me to kill him already, but I ignored it.

"Freedom, my dear," I replied seriously, while the voice told me to shut up, shut up, shut up. I felt oddly defiant. "I felt that in order for prisoners to break free of their cells, they must trick the warden into giving them the keys, and then kill him."

"What a twisted philosophy, Júhuā-gē," he said sarcastically. "You are free long before you killed lìngshòutáng. _Diu_, you just had a weak resistance then."

"I have never been weak, my brother. It's just a pathetic excuse to keep me out if the way of brilliant, accomplished Honda Kiku -"

"Then, _diu_, Júhuā! You could have made your concerns heard, damn you..." Xiao Chun's voice rose uncontrollably. I raised an eyebrow. "Or you could have spoken to me! I could have defended you, dammit -!"

"Tell me, my Xiao-chan. Didn't you think that I may have thought of that too?" I outwardly smiled at his enraged face while inwardly, I painfully fought with the evil voice that was whispering on my heart to go strangle Xiao Chun now. "I did ask her for how many times why Kiku-chan can go to school when I can't, why Kiku-chan can live normally when I can't. Tell me, hahaue, why Kiku-chan is more loved, why he is fucking perfect in the eyes of others, when I could only do the mistakes..."

"That's a purely selfish view of the world, Júhuā-gē," Xiao Chun snarled.

"I have realized that too, but maybe I have just accepted that tonight. Maybe now that I am here, I have to repent for the scars that I have wrought on our family. We are not of one blood, yes. But we are all siblings." My eyes burned as I finally and successfully pushed the voice out of my mind. Tears were starting to blossom from my eyes. My mind had turned away from my original goal.

_'Júhuā, dammit. Take that back!'_

I did tell you earlier to fuck yourself, voice.

I am not your plaything Júhuā any longer. _I am Ogiku._

I saw the gun gleaming on the grass some distance from us, innocuously silent. Xiao Chun saw what I was staring at, and stared anxiously at me.

"Tell me, Xiao," I whispered, "Will you forgive me if I apologize for all of the things that I've done in the past?"

His eyes darkened. "I don't think so."

I sighed. "I knew you'd say that, but I just had to be sure."

I reached for the gun. Xiao Chun struggled, but I stopped his progress with squashing him with my entire body.

"I'm sorry, Xiao," I said, and swiftly brought the gun on the side of his head heavily to knock him out.

No barriers allowed.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"I will _kill_ you, Júhuā." Those were the first words that burst out of my mouth when he stood up, his eyes looking over at me with a look that I hadn't seen for a long time.

"I know, Kiku-chan. I guess we never imagined when we were young that we'll get to kill each other in the future." He smiled sadly, apologetically.

"Yes, we never. If you hadn't killed hahaue, it wouldn't have been like this."

"Is that the only reason, Kiku-chan?" His eyes stared knowingly at mine, our expressions eerily mirroring each other's.

"You're also the reason why Meimei cries every time she hears your name, why Yong Soo acts very childishly for his age, and why Xiao Chun's personality went from terrible to worse. You're a sadistic monster. A _blood traitor_." I stared back with cold fury. Alfred shifted uneasily behind my back.

"Then kill me now." His voice struck a nerve inside me. He was cold, but in a different way. As if pronouncing an awful sentence upon himself. "Before I lose control of myself again and kill you."

I closed my heart against his plea. Then I lunged for the gun. I will deny him the pleasure of obeying his wishes, dammit. He is a warrior, and a warrior's ultimate shame is to surrender while he is still with his sword.

His eyes darkened. "So be it, Kiku-chan. Kill... or be killed."

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

I sat by Arthur's still figure, grasping his hand, watching with my mouth agape as Kiku attempted to wrestle the gun away from his evil twin. This is like a really creepy Hollywood movie, but the difference was... this is real life. Once you are killed, you are damn killed. No sequel wherein you'll return as a comeback appearance.

I breathed quietly and averted my eyes from them. Then I just spotted the entrance of a new character in this strange night.

With strangely enraged golden eyes, Yao surveyed the scene, a gun in his eerily steady hands as he aimed at the twins.

I have no doubt that he will shoot without hesitating to see whether he gets the right person.

He aimed, and shot.

_Bam_.

* * *

><p>[<em>Júhuā<em>]

I felt another presence hidden in the shadows of the building as Kiku succeeded in toppling me to the ground. I felt weird, and my sixth sense started making me nervous nonstop.  
>What I did next was completely instinctive. All I was thinking of was that there was danger lurking for any one of us twins, and that if I didn't overthrow Kiku immediately, he'll get killed without moving a single finger in his defense. Which will make him feel really bad about it. Poetically.<p>

Because of the intense adrenaline rush, I was able to throw him off me and reverse our positions.

That's when I heard the gunshot. It was suddenly all over.

Beneath me, Kiku's eyes widened when he heard it. The gun in my hands dropped off harmlessly in the grass as I coughed.

He looked shocked when I released the weapon, and stared at me, as if asking me if my gun went off accidentally.

"My gun has a silencer, Kiku-chan, remember," I said softly, feeling the blood seep through the silk of my kimono. "Someone else shot me..."

When I tried to take a breath, I felt a sudden dizziness, and I purposefully collapsed on Kiku, in case the one who shot me wanted to make sure that he/she got the real me.

I knew why my breaths were getting harder and harder to draw. My left lung was collapsing. Shit. Of all places, the lungs were the second most dangerous to hit. Luckily, the bullet was presumably from a handgun, because the wound felt small beneath my fingers.

"_Trash_."

Someone kicked me hard in the side, so I rolled away slowly from Kiku to see the furious face of Yao. He looked livid as he stared down at me.

"Júhuā?" he asked, spitting my name as if it was something that he did not like the taste of.

I nodded feebly, attempting a weak smile. Kiku's face hovered on the edge of my sight, worriedly watching me.

"Aniue, he needs an ambulance! Also Arthur-san..."

"I have called the hospital already before shooting the filth," was Yao's calm answer. He stared at me. "You're not going to kill anyone again."

"_I know, nii-chan_." I mumbled it so incoherently even to my own ears that Kiku looked even more aghast.

The last clear memory I ever had was Kiku's delicate moon-illuminated face, before finally passing out.

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Finally over! I worked on this for three days!**

** Next chapter is the end of the Black Chrysanthemum arc! It's also the pilot chapter of the next arc, the War of the Flowers arc! Whoop!**

** I am a fan of Yao's cuisine. Love Chinese food. Yum. Especially chao fan (it's basically stir-fried rice).**

** Xiao Chun's remark to Alfred was the Cantonese greeting for the Chinese New Year. It loosely means "Congratulations and be prosperous".**

** Um, random Asian trivia: The famous sailor fuku uniform is inspired by the British Royal Navy uniform in the 1920's. So you see, Iggy had contributed to Kiku's otaku subculture because of his sailor uniforms!**

**Thank you to all the reviewers! **

**Special mention:**

_AK30102_**: (making a shocked Iggy face) H-how did you know? Wait, _are you a psychic or something_? Anyways, nice detail noting! Here's a cookie. :3  
><strong>


	16. The Black Chrysanthemum Has Joined!

**A/N: Konnichiwa! Introducing the last chapter of the Black Chrysanthemum arc and the pilot chapter of the War of the Flowers arc!**

** Júhuā's turned into good!Ogiku in this chapter. He's kinda cute. I'm lovin' him.**

** Hope you enjoy this sunshine-y chapter, I enjoyed writing this, personally.**

** Enjoy, enjoy. *shot***

* * *

><p><em>Month 3. June.<em>

* * *

><p><em>The War of the Flowers Arc<em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Black Chrysanthemum Has Joined Your Party!<strong>_

_Day 55. Saturday._

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

_Time_: 7:10 am.

I was out in the garden early, clasping my sketchpad to my side, relishing the quiet and silence. It made me calm and whenever I step into a place like this, it was as if my problems are all melting away.

I didn't go here to sketch something. Firstly, I didn't have any writing material with me (Yeah, you know how impossible it is to sketch something without a pen of some kind, huh?). Secondly, I wasn't in the mindset. Really.

I sat on the edge of the basin of the fountain in the middle of the garden and opened the sketchpad. I flipped through the various drawings in the book, finally stopping at the picture that I was searching for.

He was smiling so broadly, I remembered that he was laughing playfully when I was drawing this picture. Those shine in his dark eyes... I knew I had captured the essence of his personality. His black hair glinted sharply in the sun. He was clad in a white and black yukata, the colors of innocence and solemnity. Was this my last good memory of him?

He had been so different from me. His eyes always carried a certain cheer in them. He was the heart of the household, the one who always pulled Xiao Chun's hair teasingly when the other is moping in a corner to make him laugh (which makes him the only person to have done so), and the one who always beats Meimei at checkers. The one who helps Yao tend to his garden, and the only one I ever allowed to embrace me tightly, rocking me gently from behind to make me feel that I am not alone.

We are two persons with the unusually same features. No other twin brothers, perhaps, had the same regularity of feature as we two have exhibited. There is no way to identify which of us is which when we assume the same expressions. But inside, our personalities can't be more different.

I am the white, the one who can control emotions better, the shy one. He is the black, the one who never hesitates to show his anger or his smile, the bold one. I am the ice, friendless and cold. He is the fire, the warmth of the family.

His actual name is Júhuā, but my nickname for him has always been Ogiku ("large chrysanthemum") because he is older than me by a matter of fifty-three days, which means he was born during the depths of winter.

Because of our births being delayed in between by a matter of those fifty-three days, Ogiku, being the elder twin, had been sickly, his naturally pale skin made even paler and lending him a fragile look. Despite this, he is the mischievous, daring, and playful one. The one who always gets into trouble with Yong Soo as his sidekick. The one who always has the gall to cross me and call me "Kiku-chaaaaan" in front of visitors to embarrass me so that he can see me flush red for the sheer joy of seeing me express an emotion. The one who hides all of Meimei's hair ornaments in the nest on the branches of the sakura tree in our backyard. The one who annoys Yao worse than Yong Soo. For short, the one who makes that house where we live a more desirable place to live in.

He is the heart of the household. In more ways than one. And maybe I shouldn't go deeper in our past. It would open up the old wounds again.

Would it suffice to say that he was now my Ogiku again?

* * *

><p><em>Time<em>: 9:38 am.

I was at the hospital with Alfred to visit Arthur, who will be getting discharged today. His leg had healed up nicely, and we didn't expect his recovery to be this rapid. But at least he's fine now, although he still walks with a slight limp.

Xiao Chun was fine, although the knowledge that he hadn't had a chance to blow up my twin into pieces made him really down.

Speaking of my twin brother...

* * *

><p>"<em>Ohayo<em>, Ogiku," I said as I entered the brightly-sunlit blue room. The curtains were drawn back to let in as much of the light as possible.

"_Ohayo_," a light voice from the bed replied. Ogiku was lying down quite meekly on his bed, wearing a blue hospital gown and looking extremely bored. I sighed inwardly.

"You shouldn't move so much," I chided him when he sat up suddenly. He smiled as if he hadn't just jostled his wound.

"I'm thirsty," was his remark as I set down the thermos of hot water on his bedside table.

"I'll make you some tea, then." I performed the task mechanically, as I felt his eyes prick on my back.

"Is the _Igirisu_-_jin_ all right?" he asked as he opened the backpack that I had dumped on his bed. "I haven't seen him yet."

"They're dropping in later, Alfred's just taking care of the discharge papers," I replied absently, turning to look at him. He was holding my Algebra textbook and was rifling through it. He looked so back to his original self that I almost smiled.

"Ah. Is Alfred the _Amerika_-_jin_?" he asked interestedly as he scanned the notes that I wrote on the top of a page about exponential laws. I opened a cup of instant noodles and then poured some hot water in it.

"Yes. But don't call them by their nationalities. It's rude." I set the tea on his lap. "There."

"Oh." He didn't speak for a while as he drank. After a sip, he looked at the tea suspiciously. "Um, black tea?"

"Yes." I sat on a stray chair beside his bed. "It's English tea."

He nodded distractedly as he set the cup on its saucer, which was still on his lap. "Say, Kiku-chan, are you really in love with that _Igirisu_-_jin_?" he asked, frowning. "Not that I disapprove, but... well..."

"Yes," I replied, smiling for the first time since I entered the room. I checked the noodles on the table after determining that its three minutes were up. "Ogiku, eat this."

"_Itadakimasu_, Kiku-chan." He took the cup of noodles and the chopsticks I offered him. I then took the tea away from his lap and set it on the table before it came to any harm.

I sat there and watched him eat silently, hardly believing that this was all real. The nightmare had ended suddenly. Or maybe this was just the eye of the storm?

Our moment of peace was disturbed when Alfred suddenly barged in with a very pissed-off Arthur behind him. Ogiku looked noticeably startled (he was yet to be used to the noisy American), and perhaps my face displayed shock. Trust Alfred Jones to ruin a quiet morning.

"It's rude to suddenly enter a hospital room without knocking, git!"

"Well, stop whining, Iggy! I was just hurrying to find you something to sit on!"

"I can stand up fine by my own, thank you! No, I _am_ okay!" Arthur looked ready to bust an artery as he prevented Alfred from putting an arm around his shoulders. Ogiku looked mightily amused as he recovered from the initial shock.

"Ohayo, Arthur-san, Alfred-kun," I said smoothly as I stood up to welcome them in. Arthur's face softened considerably, but immediately reverted to irritation as Alfred began remarking about getting some burgers from the fast-food restaurant just across the hospital.

Ogiku lost interest in their bickering and began eating again. I offered Arthur a chair, and he sat down grudgingly, glancing at me as he did so. I sat on my chair and played with the edge of Ogiku's blanket.

Alfred shrugged and went out to accomplish his burger goal, remembering to close the door behind him.

"Are you alright now, Arthur-san?" I ventured to ask while I turned my eyes on Ogiku.

"You're like Alfred. I'm all right," he replied stiffly as he also snuck a peek at my brother, although his glance was more of a wary kind than anything else.

Ogiku sensed his uneasy look and smiled lightly at him. "I'm not about to pull a gun on you, Āsā-san, so don't worry."

Taken by surprise, he laughed nervously and sighed. "Of course not."

I smiled at their tentative conversation, thanking the gods that Ogiku remembered my reminder.

A knock sounded on the door.

"That can't be Alfred already, since I know he'll attempt to hog all the burgers that his money can buy," Arthur said slowly. "And the guy doesn't know how to knock, which I think he has already demonstrated earlier."

"That's Xiao-chan," Ogiku said dismissively after tipping all of the soup in the cup in his mouth. Arthur looked at him as if he was some kind of freak.

"Well, I wouldn't know, but -" I opened the door, and indeed, a very windswept Xiao Chun was standing on the doorway. "Er, Xiao Chun? Why are you here?"

Xiao Chun shrugged absently. "I dunno. I just am."

"Ah, then come on in..." I opened the door wider to let him in. He was dressed in an unusually dull casual outfit.

"Hello, um, Xiao Chun," Arthur said awkwardly, looking up at him as the latter crossed the room and sat on the bed itself. I guess it means that he got over the situation about Ogiku or whatever a bit more quickly.

There was another knock on the door. Ogiku rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Yao-nii-chan," he remarked waspishly. I smiled at his expression (I can't remember having made that kind of face before) and opened the door.

"Aniue, good morning," I greeted my brother, who merely nodded as I stepped aside to let him in. I was admittedly surprised to see Yao here after a week of determinedly avoiding to grace my twin with a hospital visit. After all, he was the one who shot Ogiku so boldly that night. Although I'd have to admit, a Yao with a gun... It's as if he suddenly joined Basch's club or something.

Xiao Chun slapped Ogiku's leg under the covers suddenly to make him drop his chopsticks to the floor in surprise.

Yao scowled and crossed his arms. "Aiyaa, didn't I say not to drop your chopsticks while eating, aru? It's unlucky to drop them, aru yo!" he scolded.

I retrieved Ogiku's chopsticks and placed them on the side table. "No harm done, aniue."

"Still..." Yao looked extremely awkward, but he quickly shook the expression off.

"Yao-gē, are Meimei and Yong Soo coming?" Xiao Chun asked after smiling wryly at Ogiku, who looked slightly miffed.

"Not for today, aru," Yao said, shaking his head. "But I guess they'll soon come around, aru."

"I could only imagine their faces," I said dryly.

Ogiku looked pensive, but didn't say anything. Arthur was silent and looked out of place. What with his blond-ness and all.

The silence was (again) broken by Alfred bursting through the door with a hundred burgers. That's an exaggeration, but you'll also say it that way if you can see him now. Yao was annoyed.

"_Aiyaa_!" he exclaimed angrily. "This is a hospital, aru! So try to keep your noise down, aru yo!"

Alfred grinned, surprised at the increase in the amount of people in the room. "Oh, did I just walk in to some sort of family gathering?"

"Obviously, moron." Arthur was irritated also. Apparently, the two big brothers in the scene were exasperated at the entrance of an obnoxiously loud American.

"What's that, by the way?" Ogiku whispered timidly, pointing at the white plastic bags in Alfred's arms.

"That's the food that he was referring to earlier," I whispered back.

"Ah," he said, as if puzzling it over. "_Gohan no Amerika-jin?_"

"We're in America, so that's immediately mandatory," I said, sighing. He cast a dubious look at Alfred and finished his tea.

"Hey, who wants some?" Alfred announced, dropping off the food on Ogiku's bedside table. Xiao Chun immediately raised a hand. Yao glared at him, furious that one of his siblings was getting influenced by Alfred's fat-based diet.

"Can I have one too?" Ogiku said innocently to Alfred. The latter blushed when he saw Ogiku's wide eyes fixed on him.

"Er, here... And one to Leon," he muttered, giving him the burgers.

"Ah, _itadakimasu_!" my twin said sweetly (although I knew it was on purpose, since his eyes were gleaming mischievously), making Alfred go red again. He seemed to get a kick out of Alfred's blushes.

Ogiku unwrapped the burger and had stared at it for a long moment ("This is the American version of the meat bun," he remarked) before taking a small bite. Xiao Chun took a deliberately big bite out of his own just to spite Yao further, who was standing with an absolutely enraged face, glaring at the American who dared mess with the diets of his little brothers. Alfred was completely oblivious, since he was now stuffing his face. I laughed inwardly at this strange scene.

"I-I can't believe this, aru," Yao gasped, as if it was the end of the world already. "I -"

* * *

><p>Arthur and Alfred soon bade us farewell and started off for the Academy. Yao, Xiao Chun, and I decided to be left behind to be able to converse on the matter about Ogiku. The subject of the conversation didn't join, since his nose was currently buried in my World History textbook. Maybe he should get some reading glasses soon.<p>

All in all, Yao decided that Ogiku must return back to Japan as soon as he completes his recovery so as to simplify matters. I was a bit reluctant at the decision since I was getting used to the fact that Ogiku was now back under control, but I still agreed. If he stayed here in New York City, it'll get troublesome for us later. Xiao Chun looked hesitant to warm up to the idea like me, but he agreed.

"Say, Kiku-chan," Ogiku was saying enthusiastically, looking up from the book. He stopped abruptly when he saw our somber faces. "Um, are you all right -?"

Yao told him the decision to send him back home. He was expressionless after Yao's explanation, which kind of worried me, since when he was like that, it means he was going through an internal struggle of some sort.

"Well, okay..." was what he said, but his eyes were speaking volumes. I felt a little unsettled.

"I'm sorry, aru, but it's necessary," Yao said.

He smiled lightheartedly. "I know. I just want to get to know you all again. It has been so long..."

I sighed. "That's true..."

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

Arthur sighed heavily as I watched him adjust his leg slightly. It was already late in the afternoon. We were still in our dorm room, and I was arranging my study desk since it was getting a little too cluttered.

"Does it still hurt?" I asked him concernedly.

"No," Arthur said shortly. He looked up at me with piercing green eyes. "Alfred, I know it might be too late to say this, but I've decided to tell you..." He gulped slightly. I was puzzled at his strange behavior, but I continued to arrange my study desk.

"Iggy, 'r'you all right? Maybe you need a rest," I said worriedly when he shifted uneasily on his bed. He shook his head steadily.

"Alfred, you need to know." Arthur was glaring at me. "It's about Kiku and me."

"Huh? What about you two?" I asked absently as I swept all the trash in a black garbage bag.

"I -" Arthur frowned, his eyebrows drawing closer to each other. "We're... together. Kiku and I."

"Together?" I turned to look at Arthur squarely in the face. I already had an inkling of what he was trying to say, but I, like a fool, ignored it completely. "What d'you mean, Iggy -?"

"Goddamn, don't act stupid, Alfred!" Arthur shouted angrily. "What I meant was that I love Kiku, and we are now in an entirely serious relatio- Hey, Alfred!"

I was already sprinting out of the room by then. I was shocked, but maybe I should have seen it coming. There were a lot of clues already. I mean, fuck, did I have a head that was that thick? Or maybe I just chose to ignore all the telltale signs?

I was furious, giddy, and seething. No, it wasn't the fact that they were in a relationship which made up the bulk of my anger. What made my teeth grind against each other was the fact that he lied to me. I asked him face-to-face, dammit. He lied about the status of their friendship.

Without realizing it, I was retracing my steps to the hospital. I thought that Kiku might be there, since he must take care of his twin brother. Well, I was a bit embarrassed to see no one but a startled Ogiku on the bed, eating something.

"Um..." I mumbled. I felt stupid. "Eh, where's Kiku?"

He looked amused. "That's funny. He went home a long time ago with Xiao-chan and Yao-nii-chan."

"They left you alone?"

He stared at me and nodded. "I can take care of myself, you know. Look, I can kill you with just these chopsticks." And he held them up threateningly.

"That's a bad joke, dude," I grimaced.

"I'm not kidding," was his completely serious reply. "My chopsticks are a bit sharp."

I looked curiously at the small things that he was eating. They looked so cute, and adding to the cuteness factor was the fact that they came in different colors. "What's that?" I asked curiously, forgetting my anger.

"Yao-nii-chan's steamed Chinese dumplings," he replied thickly as he bit into one. "They have a proper name, but it's too long. Want some? Just don't touch the red and the white ones. I haven't tried them yet. Yao might've stuffed snakes in there. You never know."

I sat beside his bed and examined the plate he was proffering me. There were six colors in all - pink, red, violet, green, white, and even brownish-black. I took a green-colored one and sniffed it.

"That's steamed with bamboo leaves and stuffed with blueberry jam inside. Nice smell, right?" he said as I popped it whole in my mouth. Its smell and taste were really quite relaxing, and effectively made my anger fade away. I could call this an episode of emotional eating.

"Hey, I just want to ask. No offense meant, but... If you're not killing, or else plotting to do so, are you always eating in all your free time?" I mean, I always caught him eating whenever I drop by his room earlier today.

"Well -" He paused to swallow his food before proceeding. "Not really. I write poetry during my spare time. I'm just eating a lot in here because I haven't anything else to do."

"Er, that's it? You're an odd guy." I watched him pick up one of the black ones with his chopsticks and bite it with a wry look. "What does that one contain?"

"Finely ground bamboo charcoal, sobayu, and beef for the filling." He began chewing carefully. "The charcoal accounts for the color."

"Er, you eat charcoal? Is that even possible?" I glared at the black dumplings suspiciously. "Won't it poison you?"

"Normal charcoal will." He ate a green one next. "Bamboo charcoal is healthy to ingest, though."

He finished up the green and went for a pink dumpling. "This one is flavored with rose tea and stuffed with black pig meat." He bit off half and surveyed the contents carefully, then shrugged and ate the rest.

"What's the white one contain?" I asked curiously.

"Let's see." He took one between his chopsticks and bit off a tentative portion. "Eh, trap number one... I-I think it's kim-kim-kimchi..." He blinked so quickly that I thought he was crying.

I watched with some amusement as the next thing he did was to wipe his eyes with his left hand, since they were indeed tearing up. I had been right.

"Care for something to wash it down?" I asked, torn between the desire to laugh and the desire to get some water immediately.

"Yes, please," he gasped, more tears sliding down his face as (I watched this with shock) he put the rest of the white dumpling in his mouth recklessly. I rushed to the bathroom and filled the cup on his bedside with the cool water from the tap. No time to be picky.

He drank it all, and set the cup on the bedside table after draining it, biting his lip as he wiped away the last of his tears.

"Sorry for making you eat that," I said, finally giving vent to my laughter.

"That's fine; I was going to eat it too anyways." He sighed and lay down on the bed, forgetting the plate on his lap for a moment.

"Are you alright?" I asked worriedly.

"Um," he mumbled. Then he raised himself up on his pillows. "Why do you want to talk to Kiku, by the way? Um, don't answer if you don't want to. I mean, you looked so... angry when you came in."

"Oh, really? Um, I'm sorry. If I scared you."

"That's alright." He looked at me discerningly. "I'm guessing that your anger is because of romance, or else, because of your slighted dignity. Which one is it?"

"Huh?" I stared at his knowing smile. "Um, romance. I guess."

He rolled his eyes. "I see. Why do you want to talk to Kiku, then?"

"Well, I assume you already know that Kiku and my older bro Arthur is now in a relationship. Am I right?"

He nodded warily and did not say anything.

"Well, the truth was, I also like Kiku. Not the 'puppy love' type of like. It's more of an 'I love you so much it hurts to see you with another guy but if you love that guy so much it's okay with me' type of like."

To my surprise, he suddenly took one of the chopsticks that he had set on the plate of dumplings and chucked it at my forehead with narrowed eyes. It did bounce off my forehead. The guy was dead-on accurate, I'll have to admit.

"You're an idiot," he remarked with a sigh. "Then if your 'type of like' was the latter one, why are you so angry?"

"Because I asked Iggy about his relationship with Kiku before I even knew about it. He answered that they were friends. Which pissed me off. I mean, he lied to me." I was shaking as I told him all of this. My hands were curled into tight fists.

Ogiku speared a white dumpling with his remaining chopstick and held it out unsympathetically. "Here's a kimchi dumpling to make you cry. It's guaranteed to make your speech completely dramatic."

"Thanks but no thanks." My lips quirked into a half-smile at his remark before going into a hard line again. I checked my watch. "I think I should go. I'm imposing on your peace for too long now."

"True." He removed the dumpling from the remaining chopstick and threw it on my forehead too, which hit the precise same spot where the first one hit. "You're an idiot for thinking too much into those things. What's happened has happened already, you know? And if you think it's okay for them to get together, let it go. And give them your blessing."

"Hm. Are you the love guru?" I asked jokingly.

"No. I'm Shakespeare." Sassy bastard. I now know where Leon got his attitude. "Now go out and let me rest before I throw this plate at you or something. I'm a good shot, you know."

"I know." I picked up his chopsticks from the floor and handed them back to him. "Thanks for the illumination."

He flicked his fingers at me in the universal "shoo, dog" gesture. "Close the door when you get out. And tell Yao-nii-chan to not let Yong Soo in the kitchen again."

I felt a smile move the corners of my lips again as I exited the room. "I will. Thanks for the dumplings."

"Nothing chases away the pangs of unrequited love like food does," he said, smirking.

"Why did I get the feeling that you're right?" I muttered, finally closing the door behind me.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"You finally told him?"

"Yeah. He ran out before I finish, though."

"Then I'm guessing that you met with a bad reception."

We were in my room. Heracles was sound asleep on his bed, Arthur was sitting at my study table, and I occupied my bed. Arthur had told me about his attempt to tell Alfred about us.

"Where can he have gone, then?" I added with a worried tone. "It's getting dark out."

"Hell if I know," he muttered.

Just then, the subject of our conversation burst in the room.

"Alfred!" Arthur shot out of his chair, then wobbled unsteadily. Alfred caught him easily with a goofy grin.

"Chill, dude." He laughed when he saw Arthur's furious look.

"Where have you gone, git!" Arthur was livid.

"Um, actually I went back to the hospital and talked to Ogiku," he replied. Arthur and I exchanged a look.

"You talked to him?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah. He's a cool dude." He grinned lightheartedly. "And I think I should give you two my blessing because he advise me to. I mean, heroes are always cool, y'know."

"Are you some kind of stupid -?" Arthur stuttered.

I frowned at this new development.

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Ogiku has such bad mood swings. Hehe.**

** Anyways, this chapter is not much of a pilot for the War of the Flowers, but I guess it'll get better while it goes on.**


	17. Preliminary Engagement!

**A/N: Guten tag! I'm here again. Bam. Who could have thought that Ogiku will be Über cute? Mmm, more moe material!**

**Anyways, you'll notice that all the chapter titles in this arc are RPG based and has references to flowers. Otaku? You betcha.**

**In this chapter: Hints of present-day tension between Japan-Russia relations, if you squint.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Preliminary Engagement!<strong>_

_**The Black Chrysanthemum VS The Red Rose  
><strong>_**  
><strong>_Day 64. Monday._

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><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"Konnichiwa, my name is Honda Ogiku. My interests are poetry writing and listening to Japanese and Korean pop music. I hope you'll take care of me for the rest of the school year." My twin brother looked around the class, a carefully calculated smile on his face. "Any questions?"

I grimaced. His act was so convincing as an exchange student from a Japanese high school. And maybe he should go and take his appointed seat already, because his smile was totally killing all the girls in my class. I'm sure he'll have a crowd around him to escort him to his destinations, one of these days.

Anyway, you must be thinking why he was here when we have originally decided to send him back home. Well, the director of the Academy decided to not press any charges against him for injuring the guards and posing as a threat to the students' safety when he heard about Ogiku's story, but instead enrolled him as a student in the second year as punishment. He has to pretend as an exchange student from Japan that decided to follow me to America after a year in a Japanese high school. Of course, he's still my twin.

You'll think it was not much of a punishment, but to a guy who never had to wear a school uniform (or even western clothes) and obey school rules for almost all of his life, this was pure torture. It was as if he was put in a rehab or something. But maybe that was what the director aimed for.

Anyhow, to make the long story short, here he was in my class, and I think the story of my student life will become a little more rowdy because of the presence of another person who is rather off-the-wall.

* * *

><p>Recess was a nightmare. I retold the same fake story many times to my batch mates from the other section. And while I'm at it, Ogiku was getting interested about Feliciano's curl and was wanting to touch it badly. I had to remind him several times that it was rude, but he is stubborn. So when Feliciano's back was turned, he mischievously pulled it. In an instant, Feliciano was running down the hall, crying and screaming bloody murder. I chided my twin, but he just smiled.<p>

"I was just curious, Kiku-chan," he said calmly, taking a sip of his orange juice. I squashed the desire to glare at him and picked at my food moodily.

Meimei joined us shyly at the table, although she did look at Ogiku warily before sitting down beside me. Yong Soo dropped by too, and sat opposite Ogiku. They were already warming up to Ogiku's return, although Meimei was still a little creeped out.

"Yao'll take you to the eye doctor tomorrow after classes," I told Ogiku as he and Yong Soo began playing chess on the board that Yong Soo brought in his bag.  
>Ogiku nodded at me for his answer as he effortlessly ate up Yong Soo's pawns turn by turn. Yong Soo began whining about it.<p>

"That's impossible!" Yong Soo howled as Ogiku now turned to his bishops after a few more turns.

"Don't be childish, Yong Soo, this is just a game," Ogiku said gently as he glanced at me amusedly.

"You need glasses so that you can see the chalkboard better," I continued my conversation with my twin. "I should think that all that reading had made your eyesight poor."

"Can't I just have those disposable lenses instead?" he wondered aloud as he finally checkmated Yong Soo. "They're cheaper."

"Well, trust me, glasses are easier to wear," I said as I watched Yong Soo rearrange the chess pieces on the board for another game. "Yong Soo had trouble wearing his contacts when he was first introduced to it."

"Contact lenses originated from Korea, _da ze_~!"

"I wouldn't know if contact lenses really originated from Korea, but..." Ogiku moved a pawn forward, "It's your turn now."

"You had poor eyesight?" a voice called out suddenly behind us.

Meimei, Ogiku and I turned around to see Alfred grinning as he sauntered by our table. He playfully ruffled Ogiku's hair and grinned even wider. "Looking at the way you throw things at me so precisely, I'd have thought you possessed cat's eyes."

Ogiku narrowed his eyes slightly as he brushed Alfred's hand off (his expression made me sweat-drop). He wasn't too fond of people touching him familiarly also, and what's more, he could tolerate it far lesser than I can.

He shot Alfred a smile that didn't reach his eyes as he finished the piece of meat pie on his plate. "Should I laugh or should I ram you through with a piece of iron?" he said sweetly. I admit, he can be a bit_ yandere_ at times.

"Ogiku..." I muttered warningly.

"I didn't mean to offend," Alfred remedied. "I just thought that your eyes have... well, twenty-twenty vision."

"Well, they're just all right," Ogiku said. "_Anata wa baka desu_."

"Well, I dunno what that means, but I think that sounded weirdly rude," Alfred chuckled.

"It is," I muttered under my breath. Meimei giggled.

Ogiku let out a sigh of incredulity and adjusted his dark blue vest. We had agreed to have our vests in two different colors, his vests a dark blue and mine a tan, so that no one mistakes one of us for the other.

Alfred, seeing Yong Soo and Ogiku start up another chess match, brightened up suddenly. "Hey, Ogiku, I challenge you!"

"What kind of challenge, _Amerika-jin_?" Ogiku said idly, converting torn pieces of tissue paper into little balls and trying to make them fly through Yong Soo's curl's face as Yong Soo performed his turn. I figured that the guy was so bored that he actually had the mind to think of doing that activity.

"Well, chess." Alfred grinned. "Best of three matches."

I grimaced. "What kind of challenge is that?"

"That'll be fun," Ogiku said, nodding as he knocked out Yong Soo's queen with a bishop.

Alfred flashed his thousand-watt teeth. "Yeah!"

Ogiku's dark eyes gleamed mischievously. "And since you challenged me so brashly, I have the right to set up conditions,_ ne_?"

"Oh, I guess that's right," Alfred said, still with a grin, although his eyes became a little wary. "What're your conditions?"

My twin smiled at Alfred. "The loser has to carry the winner on piggyback once the dismissal bell rings and go from the homeroom, to all around the campus, ending in the dormitory's entrance hall. AND become the winner's dog for a whole month. By the way, when I said 'month', I meant a period of thirty-one days."

"But why the first condition? Isn't that, like, totally embarrassing?" he remarked.

My twin looked at him, his lips turned into a smirk. "That's the point."

Alfred thought it all over for some time, then flashed a thumbs-up. "Alright! I accept!"

"Lunch break, then?" Ogiku said coolly, checkmating Yong Soo again.

Alfred grinned. "That's settled then, dude!" he said, flashing an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "I won't lose to you!"

"Make sure you have the brains to catch up with your words," Ogiku said, tipping his chair slightly and overturning his head completely backwards so that he can smile back at Alfred in an upside-down manner. With his bangs cleared away from his face (albeit upside-down), I admit it adds a charming effect.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

I didn't know what really possessed me to challenge Ogiku Honda in a chess match, since I wasn't that good in chess. Iggy can beat me two out of three times most of the time. But it's because I only let him win, okay? Don't look at me like that.

Anyways, I went down to lunch with a big appetite. What I meant was, bigger than what was normal for me. I had a ton of burgers for lunch, another ton of fries, and gallons of Coke. I can't determine the reason why I was like this, but maybe my brain knew that I had to get a lot of food to beat Ogiku at chess.

Matt looked puzzled at my overeating. No, overeating wasn't in Alfred F. Jones's dictionary. Maybe puzzled just because he's prudish like that.

Anyways, dudes, we had our chess match on the Asians' lunch table. Yong Soo took out the chessboard, and the others watched as Ogiku began demolishing my army after a few minutes of play.

"Hey, that's barbaric!" I protested when he suddenly checkmated me.

He sighed, shaking his head. "One down. Two to go. Don't let down your guard."

"If morons don't exist, geniuses will never be recognized," Leon said philosophically.

"Is that saying even appropriate for this situation?" Meimei wondered.

I gritted my teeth. "Okay! Next game!"

He smiled, dark eyes glinting.

* * *

><p>"Wha-what's -?" I stuttered as he announced "check!".<p>

"I have your vital regions surrounded, dear _Amerika-jin_," Ogiku declared with a mocking glance. I noticed Leon smirking as Meimei paid him five dollars.

"I have betted that Ogiku-gē'll have your king checked in just fifteen minutes after starting," he explained with a straight face when he saw me staring at him.

"What?" I put on a disbelieving face. I glanced at Kiku, who was drawing steadily. "Hey, Kiku. Care to help?"

Kiku shot me a blank look. "Isn't that considered cheating?"

"Yeah - Er, no, I mean, you wouldn't want me to be his dog for a month, right?"

He looked slightly amused. "Then maybe you shouldn't have agreed to his conditions in the first place?"

"But heroes don't back down just because the conditions are against their favor!"

"If you're hoping to become a general of the American army someday, forget it," Ogiku remarked sarcastically. "Because, no offense meant, but if this is a true war, America should be surrendering to Japan right now..."

"Hey, that's not cute at all!" I exclaimed indignantly.

"Who said that I'm cute in the first place anyway?" Ogiku said with a smile. "Your turn, _Amerika-jin_."

* * *

><p>I lost the second game, but won the third. I rather thought that he just gave me a chance to redeem myself in the third game, because he was merciless like that.<p>

"Oh, damn!" I was shocked when he checkmated me suddenly in the fourth game. I didn't notice the opening.

"That's all right, Alfred-qiánbeì," Leon said, his usually expressionless façade cracking momentarily as he snickered. I sighed, admitting defeat.

"I'll never make bets with Asians again," I groaned as Ogiku cleared the board and put it back inside Yong Soo's bag with the pieces.

"Well, too late, dear sir," Ogiku said, casually swiping a piece of Kiku's egg rolls and eating it slowly. He flashed me a creepy smile. "_Anata wa kon, watashi no inu o shite imasu_. Poetic, yes?"

I gulped as the bell finally rang and signaled the end of the lunch break.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

I thought I can spend the whole afternoon in peace, but it was shattered when I went to Kiku's homeroom after the dismissal bell. I was waiting by the door when it burst open, expelling a noisy Alfred with an Ogiku slung on his back as if the latter was a backpack.

"Oi, Alfred!" I roared. "What the hell are you trying to pull off this time!"

"Hey, it's Arthur!" Alfred grinned and waved at me haphazardly. I noticed that he had a paper tag on his forehead with some Japanese characters written with black ink on it. Huh? It read: 大菊の犬.

"Careful, Inu-kun," Ogiku chided Alfred with a smirk. "Drop me and you're as good as dead."

"Oh, right!" Alfred resumed his grip on Ogiku and ran off, shouting, "Sorry, Iggy! See ya later!"

"What the hell?" I whispered, not quite believing my eyes.

"Good afternoon, Arthur-san," a quiet voice at my elbow said. "My brother seems to enjoy himself."

I turned and smiled awkwardly at Kiku, who was also smiling at me.

"You are such a _tsundere_ even while smiling," he mused as we walked together toward the dormitories. I drew him closer to my side with an arm. As always.

"Huh?"

"Ah, nothing. _Gomen_."

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"Are you sure we'll have to go all around the campus?" I asked as we finished the first floor. We have already rounded the fourth up to the second floor, so I was a little tired even though it felt as if Ogiku and his bag weighed almost next to nothing. And I was also a whole lot embarrassed. Elizabeta even fainted right on the spot when she saw us.

"Yup. There's still the quad and the garden and the grounds outside..." Ogiku adjusted his arms around my neck to look me directly in the eyes. "Unless if you're planning to drop me and break the agreement?" His eyes flashed. He's totally not like Kiku. And again, I tell you, he wasn't the least bit cute. "I think I wouldn't be too happy with that."

"Um, yeah," I said nervously. "But it looks like it's going to rain." The skies were a cold stone-gray when I looked up.

"All the more reason for you to go faster, dear Inu-kun." Ogiku pulled at Nantucket impatiently. "Because I won't let go until you fulfill the agreement."

"You're a regular Old Man of the Sea, huh," I mumbled under my breath, roaming around the quad. The stragglers all around us were looking amused as we kept up the strange display.

"What did you say, Inu-kun?"

"Oh, I was just wondering aloud if you have an umbrella," I lied through my teeth.

"There's one in my bag, so don't go all panicky on me." Ogiku began messing my hair up, maybe he was fascinated with blonde hair... or he was just being mischievous. "And what's wrong if you get wet? Are you going to melt or something?"

"No, but I don't want all my clothes to get wet," I retorted with a grin as he continued ruining my hair. "And can you get your mitts off my hair? You'll fall off."

"Okay." He reattached his arms around my neck and kept thankfully silent for the rest of the trip.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"It's raining heavily," Arthur remarked as sheets of raindrops flowed down the windows in my room.

"Yes, it is," I remarked. "A nice change, though. It was so hot today."

"Mm." He laid his head on his arms which were on the surface of my study table and looked at me sideways. "Is Ogiku adjusting nicely?"

"Yes, although he feels hampered with his new clothes." I stretched lazily and fell sideways on the bed. I remained on my position, the sound of the rain relaxing me. "I have to teach him how to wear his tie properly."

"Hm, that's the only problem with our uniforms." Arthur grinned wholeheartedly. "I remember when I had to teach Alfred how to put on his tie. It took him a hundred tries before he finally succeeded."

"Ah, I'm glad to say that Ogiku was faster than that," I replied teasingly. He laughed.

"Erm, well..." Arthur's bright green eyes blinked at me cheerfully. "Speaking of them two, what's up with them earlier?"

"Ah..." I told him all about the chess matches and the bet. He laughed again when I finally finished.

"Alfred is going to be your brother's dog?" He chuckled. "Why didn't I think of making a bet like that before on Alfred?"

"Well, it's only effective for thirty-one days." I smiled as we stared at each other sideways position. It was all I could do not to stand up and, in his words, "snog" him.

"Ar, that's true." Arthur raised his head from his arms and took a stretch. "But still, thirty-one days is still a lot of time for everything to change..."

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"But isn't this fun?"

"Fun? I'm soaking wet, okay? You didn't even whip out your umbrella!"

"I don't want to bring it out, so it stayed inside my bag."

"Well, we're both like wet homeless chicks now."

"An interesting simile, Inu-kun."

I finally broke out of the rain, Kiku's exasperating twin still strapped on my back. We had finally reached the dormitory, which was our agreed-upon end point, but it'll come as no surprise for me if at least one of us gets a cold.

I let go of his legs, and he dropped down gracefully from my back, amused dark eyes taking in my disgruntled face. I detached the sodden paper tag from my forehead grumpily.  
>"Alfred! How nice to see you here, da! Although you do look a bit drenched."<p>

Look, if it's not my favorite Russian and his creepy sister rising from the chairs that littered the entrance hall and suddenly coming into the scene.

"And this is Kiku-kun's twin brother?" he asked lightly, violet eyes moving curiously over Ogiku's face. "How unusual!"

"Yeah," I said stiffly. Ogiku was smiling pleasantly, but his eyes were steely. I bet he had already thought up a hundred different ways to kill Ivan with his necktie. Hate at first sight? Nice, we're going to agree on this matter at least.

"_Roshia-jin_?" he said lightly. "This is my first time to personally meet a Russian."

"How did you know that I am Russian?" Ivan Braginski smiled creepily. I'm gettin' Siberian chills down my spine. Nah, just kidding.

"A Japanese _should_ know whether he is talking to a Russian, dear sir," Ogiku said lightly, a faint touch of sarcasm in his words. He bowed shallowly and added, "My name is Honda Ogiku. Second year student."

"Nice meeting you then, Honda Ogiku!" Ivan said happily. "I am Ivan Braginski."

"Ah, I see." Ogiku smiled blandly at the glowering figure beside Ivan. "And what is the name of the, ah, beautiful girl beside you, Braginski-senpai?"

"This is my sister, Natalia Arlovskaya." Ivan gulped when Natalia glared daggers at Ogiku. "And I'm afraid that now's not a good time to notice her, so..."

"I see," Ogiku said cheerfully. "Perhaps we should know each other better some other time, then."

"Yes," the huge Russian said, nodding. "Farewell, then, Ogiku, Alfred." They went up the stairs, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Russian bastard," I said under my breath.

"Ah, you are not fond of him, are you, Inu-kun?" Ogiku said, staring at me with a light smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah. I don't like his aura for some reason."

"Ah, I see."

"And you?"

"Nothing personal. I just wondered how a person can be so cold and warm at the same time." He sighed, and crossed his arms.

"Mm. So at least we have something in common."

He simply shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I have to go to my room now, if you don't mind."

"Who's your lucky roommate?"

"Ah, a junior. I think he's Singaporean or something. I don't know what his name might be."

"Okay. See you then, Ogiku."

He looked back at me. "I'm your master from now up until the thirty-one days are over, Inu-kun."

"I know." I sighed, and flashed him my awesome smile. "Take care, master."

He smiled swiftly, muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "_awarena no baka_", and continued on his way, leaving me standing alone in the hall and grinning like a true fool.

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: The end of another chapter! *sigh* I fangirled a lot over the piggyback thing.**

_Nyahnyah_**: Well, I kinda forgot to write this, but the 'heart of the household' thing was all before Júhuā went berserk. I was going to explain about the Asians' family dynamics, but I kinda lost track of all the history and butchered the chapter that was supposed to have it. So in the end, I expelled it from the arc. :P I'm a lame author when it comes to explanations. And in my original drafts, this arc was named "The War of the Roses", a reference to the fact that both US and England have roses as floral emblems, but I decided that if Arthur and Alfred are going to fight over our poor diarist, it won't give the strength of a full-blown war in the school... I guess? So I scratched the idea out. Hahah.**

**Thanks to the regular reviewers and to some of the new ones! Awesome reviews are awesome!**

**I didn't kill Júhuā, then I let Ogiku stay... I'm such a compassionate author. :O But there's actually a reason...:))**

**I think Ogiku will have fewer instances of telling the story in his PoV while in this arc, though. He's a poetry rather than a prose person.**

**Random Asian trivia: China sure raised powerful younger siblings. South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are three of the Four Asian Tigers, or industrialized Asian countries noted for maintaining exceptionally high growth rates and rapid industrialization between the early 1960s and 1990s. The fourth one is Singapore (see slight reference to the country above?), but Himaruya-san hasn't made an official character for that country yet... Anyways, good job to Yong Soo, Xiao Chun and Meimei! :3 Try to continue keeping up with your big brothers!**


	18. Secondary Engagement!

**A/N: _Здравствуйте_! You're seeing an Author's Note again because this is another chapter! (Of course!)**

**Anyways, enjoy, comrades! (um, Russian speak, da?)**

**And I'm waiting for Kung Fu Panda 2 to hit the theaters here! It's one of my favorite animated movies! (Aiyaa!)**

**Pray for the countries who are recently hit with earthquakes! Japan, Spain, and Turkey, we love you!:3**

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><p><em><strong>Secondary Engagement!<br>The Red Rose VS The Sunflower  
><strong>__  
>Day 67. Thursday.<br>Day 3 of Ogiku's ownership of Alfred._

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><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"_Watashi wa tsundere ni koi o shite imasu_," I chanted softly as I drew Arthur's face on a piece of scrap paper. "_Watashi wa tsundere ni koi o shite imasu_..."

"Ahh, Kiku, I'm so bored," Alfred groaned as he leaned on his desk. "I wanna bum outside so badly..."

I said nothing, since I was too busy with my present occupation. Alfred, sensing that I wasn't really listening to his rambling, decided to just sleep and forget about listening to the lesson.

It was nearing the end of World History class, which reminded me that next class was PE. Great. Since it was already summer, swimming will take the place of one PE class for every week until the end of the season. But at least I don't have to worry about shoelaces. Eh.

I glanced over at my twin (he was at the other side of the room), and saw that he was in rapt attention at the lecture. I guess he enjoyed World History that much.

I turned back to my drawing of Arthur and smiled at it.

* * *

><p>"Here I goooooo!" Alfred whooped as he dove head-first into the pool, making a huge splash that hit the people who were around him.<p>

"_Orokana inu_," Ogiku muttered as droplets of water hit his face.

I chuckled softly at his remark. "You never tire of calling Alfred-kun an idiot."

"Hah. Doesn't the _Igirisu-jin_ always call him that too?" Ogiku watched Alfred splash around the pool, his eyes unfocused as if he was trying hard not to roll them. "And he is really an idiot, anyways."

"Well," I was a little stumped, but I recovered quickly. "Arthur is Alfred-kun's older brother, so he has some right to do so."

He finally rolled his eyes. "Okay, Kiku-chan. As a technical older brother of yours, I'm noticing that the honorifics for that person named Arthur Kirkland are slowly walking away."

I blushed at the sudden change of topic. "Um, well..."

He flashed a smile at me. "Haven't I told you that I will support your decision on whoever you choose to love, as long as that person makes you happy and does not hurt you in any possible way?" His eyes narrowed the teensiest bit and his smile turned honey-sweet, always a signal that his next words are going to be threatening. "Otherwise, I will not hesitate to slit his throat with a knife and hang him from a tree."

"Ogiku," I said with a frown. "Arthur will never do that to me. He is a honorable person."

"Make sure of that, Kiku-chan." He relaxed his expression, his smile getting gentle again. "Then I'll support you guys. I'll back you up the moment Yao-nii-chan decides to object at the idea of you and Āsā together."

I smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks. That meant a lot for me."

He sighed. "No problem. But what about other people?"

I watched as Alfred cuffed one of our classmates playfully. "Alfred, you mean...?"

He glanced at me strangely. "Well, yeah. He may have given you his blessing and all, but that doesn't mean that he's not hurting inside anymore."

"I know." I looked at Ogiku curiously. "But why are you worried about Alfred's feelings all of a sudden?"

He shrugged with an unreadable smile on his lips. "Because he's my idiot dog. For a month, anyway. And I mean, he talked to me about it, so I kind of felt for him too."

I smiled at his somewhat blunt answer. "Really? I didn't know that an idiot dog will make hardhearted Ogiku feel compassion," I teased.

"Hmph." He rolled his eyes again (it was cute, in a way) and stayed silent for the rest of the period. I did notice that he stared at Alfred with a thoughtful frown on his face, though.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

Lunch break passed uneventfully enough for me and Matthew. Alfred was with the Asians, since he was Ogiku's dog. I laugh inwardly whenever I remember.

"_Bonjour_, my dear Arthur."

...I take back what I said earlier. My exasperating vice president, Francis, was going to ruin my day again. Oh yeah. Was I excited.

"And _Matthieu_, too!" Francis coiled an arm around Matthew's shoulders and winked at me. "It seems that Alfred has taken a liking to the Asians over there, am I right?"

"Whatever." I was already pulling off the table napkin from my chest and dumping it unceremoniously on the table beside my plate. "I'm going." It wasn't a good idea to place Francis and me within five hundred meters from each other. It'll result in a word war on a good day. On a bad day... I'd rather not tell.

* * *

><p>When I finally reached the garden, I heard someone call me softly. Ah, of course...<p>

"Arthur...?" Oh, he knocked off the honorific. I'm glad.

I turned around to lock gazes with Kiku, who was standing by the rose bushes. He was blushing quite a bit too.

"Kiku -" I couldn't help but move closer to him. We were a pair of weird magnets, I'd have to admit.

I was surprised when he grabbed me and held onto me tightly, his head buried on my shoulder. I awkwardly snaked my arms around his shoulders to return the gesture.

"Kiku? Don't tell me Ogiku was starting to rub off you. You seem so aggressive today."

He raised his head to look at me, a stronger blush creeping its way to his face, but he smiled a determined smile, his eyes brimming full of something indefinable that seemed to make my heart skip three beats.

"I love you, Arthur."

I was stunned by the brash declaration, since Kiku was what you'd call a close-mouthed person, and I'd have thought that just thinking about making proclamations like that would have killed him before he got round to actually saying them.

I chuckled slightly, running a hand through his silky hair and staring into his beautiful dark eyes. "Why all of a sudden, little Kiku?"

He breathed out slowly. "Well, I was just thinking that if I don't grab the chance to tell you today that I love you too, maybe I can never have a chance to say it again."

"What a pessimistic statement," I said softly, smiling as I drew him closer to put my chin on top of his head. His hair has a nice flowery scent. "Of course you can always tell me that. Any time you want..."

He pulled me to the ground so that the rose bushes blocked us from view, and, well, I was a little surprised again. Did Kiku eat something at lunch that messed him up?

"Don't tell me you're not Kiku," I teased.

He smiled slightly at my attempt at humor. "I am, so don't worry."

"That's good," I replied, relaxing as I held him close, and we sat like that on the grass for some time. "And by the way, I love you too."

"Thank you," was his soft reply, accompanied by a shy smile and another blush. I grinned.

"Don't let the thorns get you," I said, as he drew away and tucked his legs underneath him comfortably.

"Ah." I dunno if that was a reply or a sigh. Or both. He glanced suddenly at the fountain, which innocuously stood at the middle of the garden. "Was there someone there?"

"Well, last time I checked, no one," I replied, confused. "Uh, why?"

"Ah, nothing," he said quickly, waving it off, although he still stole a quick look at the fountain and at the plants beyond it. "It may have been my imagination..."

"Anyways, what are you doing here?" I ventured to ask.

"Thinking." He said it very simply that I was amused, a little. "And you?"

"Thinking too. And trying to hide from Francis." I sighed.

"I see," he said, smiling at me. "Erm..."

I felt awkward as a heavy silence fell. Some pigeons settled around the basin of the fountain, filling the air with their noises.

"Arthur," he said my name as if practicing saying it without a suffix at the end. "I'm going to tell my older brother about us. It's going to be a little scary, because he's kind of violent sometimes, but..."

"Okay." I was strangely calm about the prospect. "I'll be there when you tell him. Okay?"

He nodded, his expression relieved. "That was what I was thinking about. It's not okay to keep our family in the dark about things that they should know. Like... Alfred..." He looked a little doleful.

"I know. That messed up big time."

He went quite expressionless for a moment, then scowled slightly as he glanced at his watch. "Um, don't you think we should go now? The bell might ring at any moment now..."  
>"I agree." I stood up quite awkwardly and held out my hand to him. He took ahold of me and I helped him up.<p>

"Thank you." He was blushing when I didn't let go of his hand. It was quite a nice feeling whenever I touch his skin. He seemed so delicate.

"Let's go, Kiku Honda." I embraced him shortly and we set off, our hands clasped quietly between us. I did notice that he snuck another suspicious glance at the fountain, though.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"They've left."

I was torn out of my reverie. "Yeah, I know."

Ogiku settled his back against the cool marble of the fountain's basin. We were there ever since the two started talking. The fountain blocked us from Arthur and Kiku's eyes effectively, but Ogiku was quite convinced that Kiku had somehow suspected that someone was watching them.

Well, I was in a blank state of mind.

"_Baka yaro_." Ogiku scoffed up the rest of the water in the bottle that he held. "I told you that it wasn't a good idea to sneak up on other people's conversations, alright?" He pulled my ear. "Oi. Inu-kun."

I looked over at him. He looked good with those glasses framing his dark eyes. "I guess there is no hope for me then."

"_Baka yamerou yo_." He moodily crushed the bottle in one hand. "Seriously, I think you're one of the stupidest persons that I knew. I never heard of such a stupid one-sided love." He glared at me. "I thought you were joking when you said you were a hopeless romantic."

I smiled wearily. "Haha. I just didn't seem the type, eh?"

He nodded with a thoughtful frown. "You know, Kiku has always been faithful to the people he loved. Ever since childhood, he has been like that."

I mused over this in my head. "So you're saying that I have next to no chance of ever making him love me."

He gasped melodramatically. "Kami-sama, at last you're getting the gist of the situation." He stood up and put a hand in his pocket. "Let's go, Inu-kun. The bell is ringing."  
>He held out his hand. When I grabbed it, he pulled me to my feet with surprising strength.<p>

I followed him as he strode to the direction of our next period class.

* * *

><p>[<em>Ogiku<em>]

Why does poetry have to be this bittersweet sometimes?

Why can't we grasp the true reality of the situations that occur in our lives, and instead express them in subtle metaphors?

And why can't a person love someone faithfully without another person hurting...?

_Nectar glistens on a white chrysanthemum  
>Suck it up,<br>Until you can no longer whisper in my ear  
>I discovered how hard it is to let someone I love go<br>Your voice swaying,  
>Reverberation<br>_  
>I took out a Chinese brush, an ink block, and a piece of silk from my bag, and began writing the words that reverberated in my head. The sky had gotten a red flush outside, when I looked out. My room had an excellent view of Amaterasu slipping in the darkness of her clouds.<p>

Beautiful. Amaterasu-sama is glorious. Almost like music.

That's when I heard the furious shouts of several people on the floor above mine. I frowned. What was the matter with them?

I dried the head of the brush against the ink stone and went upstairs to see what the trouble was. They were ruining my thinking.

A small crowd of people were around the source, but a shout immediately alerted me as to the identities of the characters in this scene.

"Fuck you, Russian bastard!"

Oh, I see. Inu-kun baring his fangs out, huh? I curiously made my way through the crowd and onto the front line.

I saw that he had a large cut on the arm, presumably from Natalia's knife (how she got a metal weapon without needing to disable security in the Academy was a mystery) and a split lip. A water pipe was in Ivan's hands (again, the same sentiment, although he might have torn it from any of the bathrooms in the school and in the dormitory). He was tapping the pipe on the wooden floor, smiling and uninjured by even a scratch.

Poor dog. Fangs are too short.

"Such a dirty American mouth, da?"

"Get away from my _брат_!" Natalia Arlovskaya was shrieking. I frowned, my displeasure at this situation threatening to overtake my common sense.

"Oh, don't start, Natalia!" Another female voice. I can't remember having heard her before. "And Ivan, please -!"

"Katyusha, be quiet, okay?"

"_Сестра_, don't get in _брат's_ way!"

"Leggo of me, fuck -!"

"Alfred, calm down, please!"

Some other people were coming from the other floors to see what exciting thing was happening. I was thinking hard. What can I do? The trouble was getting bigger.

Well, of course I did the only thing that I can do. He is my dog, after all. And the master is always responsible for his dog's mess.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"What seems to be the problem here, dear sirs?"

My eyes widened with shock when petite, slender Ogiku Honda broke from the crowd and stood before me in a defensive stance. He did look a little strange because of the dark yukata he was wearing, but his normally sarcastic eyes (he wasn't wearing his glasses) were narrowed dangerously and were directed at Ivan and his two sisters. I just realized that he looked very innocent when you're new to his expressions. Quite misleading, in a way.

"Fuck it, Ogiku! Why -?"

"I would appreciate it if you just shut your trap." He muttered this in a low voice. His expression was like when I had first encountered him. Expressionless, but not the Kiku Honda kind of expressionless. Almost like a Japanese Noh mask kind of expressionless. And dude, that kind creeps me out.

"We should stop this madness, Ivan, Natalia -!" Katyusha Braginskaya was saying fearfully.

"I agree, _senpai_," Ogiku said pleasantly, nodding at Katyusha. "Because it will get nastier when I decide to break your white Russian necks just for the fun of hearing them snap."  
>I was going to face-palm at what he said, but Toris was restraining my arms tightly.<p>

"Ah, so we share the same hobby, Honda Ogiku?" Ivan was saying just as pleasantly. They were of the same mold, I guess. The sweeter they get outside, the more dangerous they get inside. "Then it would be fun to play with you a little bit longer, da!"

"Braginski-senpai, I don't think that would be a very good idea right now." Thankfully, Ogiku was backing out of a fight on his own accord. Because from what Kiku had told me about his brother's creepy fighting method, I knew that he'll instantly grab and use Ivan's scarf as a weapon in many gross and different ways if required. How creative can a poetry buff get? "Perhaps some other time will do, but not tonight. I am of the opinion that you should not fight an unarmed opponent."

Actually, I knew he can use a lot of innocent things (such as Ivan's scarf, as aforementioned) as weapons, but I kept my mouth shut because Ivan didn't need to learn that fact.

"Gladly, little one," Ivan replied cheerily, his misleadingly innocent smile still in place. "And maybe next time I won't go this easy on you and Alfred, da?"

"_Hai_, I understand." Ogiku bowed to Ivan and straightened up with an unreadable look in his eyes. "Then until we meet again, _senpai_."

* * *

><p>"Ow! That hurts!"<p>

"You deserve it. _Baka jan_."

We were at Ogiku's room, where he was giving me medicine for my wounds. I howled when he intentionally dug a finger in my cut. He was immediately irritated.

"Will you just shut up, Inu-kun? You're lucky I've decided to stop you from killing yourself on Ivan Braginski's water pipe." His words were dripping with venom as he finally put iodine on the large cut on my arm. Obviously, he wasn't pleased with what I had done earlier. "I won't ask you what happened, because it's obvious that you and Ivan Braginski are regularly at loggerheads. But will you please refrain from being stupid at all times? You're being a regular idiot."

He was again to the point. Merciless guy.

"Fuck it, Ogiku. I just can't stop myself from hitting that guy whenever we meet."

He sighed sardonically and gave me a jar of Vaseline for my lip. "I wish I could say the same thing about you."

I grinned at his expression, which was a strange mixture of exasperation and plain annoyance. I couldn't have imagined Kiku making that sort of face. That was what made it fun to be with Ogiku sometimes, since he always pulled faces when he felt like it.

Wait, am I complimenting him now? Really? Wait, I'm this guy's dog. Whatever.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

I was livid when the news about Alfred and Ivan reached me. I'll have to slap both of them with offense slips. Also Natalia, when I heard that she had wounded Alfred with a bloody kitchen knife. Bloody stealing from the canteen, that was. Thank goodness she hadn't thought of pilfering the butcher knife and chopped Alfred's arm off. Or I'd have her sentenced for immediate dismissal. For now, she and the other two get a suspension, the more numerous the cases, the longer. I doubt that it will do much good, though. Especially knowing those psychotic siblings. I mean, crack a porcelain vase and you can't do anything more about it.

So, one case for Alfred because of fighting, two cases for Ivan because of fighting and destruction of school property (that pipe isn't his too, dammit), and three cases for Natalia because of fighting, stealing, and causing physical injury on a schoolmate.

Not a very good bunch.

My head is aching. Damn Alfred. Why does he have to wreak havoc whenever I want to have a peaceful day...

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"So what are you planning?" Ogiku stretched and stared at me with serious eyes. I sneaked a look at the clock. It was already just before seven o'clock.

"Planning? What d'you mean...?" I looked at him strangely.

"Come on. I don't think you'll take that wounds lying down?" He lay on his bed and stretched again. He looked quite cute when he was like that. Quite.

"No," I said, sighing. "But Arthur'll have my head if I cause more trouble with Ivan. I should think."

Ogiku shot out of bed so fast that he looked as if he was weightless. "Well, Inu-kun, just prepare for another of Ivan's attacks. I don't want to have to ruin my conduct record because I'm already under probation. But if he decides to wage war on you... And I mean this..." He ran his tongue on his bottom lip slowly. "...I'll be ready to fight for your side. That is, if you garner my support first."

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

I was surprised to find out that Alfred and Ivan had fought, and even more surprised when I heard that Ogiku was the one who broke up the fight. But again, Ogiku wasn't the type to be intimidated by psychotic giants like Ivan Braginski. Um, yeah, even if they have a seventeen-centimeter difference in their heights.

Anyways, I hope this fight doesn't really get any bigger than it should...

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Okay, this chapter kind of sucked in the last parts. Hehe. Anyways, I think I'll have to work on the next few chapters now... :)**

_Eva N-Changed her name_**: It was on my original drafts to have a character death by the end, but I can't decide on the character I am about to kill, haha. (Originally, when the story was just beginning, I want to have Kiku fall sick or something... I even considered a car crash! Sadistic!) Anyways, I'll think about your suggestion, since I can't really decide on the character and the manner of death. And I was surprised to learn that you watch Korean dramas too! (Actually, K-dramas introduced me to K-pop...)**

**Thanks to the reviewers! You all make my day!**

**Okay! GTG! Wait for my next update, guys!**


	19. First Boss Fight!

**A/N: Bonjour! It's another chapter of The Diary of the Otaku Me! Er, I'm again considering if I should change the name of this story or what...**

**Um, bouts of fluffiness, angst and whatnot. But that's to be expected. Also Chibihon segment (are we parodying Chibitalia here or something...?) and some mochi-eating! Yay!**

**And I'll skip all the birthdays in this month. No time, :P... And by the way, I've finally finished the structure of the overall plot... Er, shall we drag this arc longer? I need some tragedies soon...**

**Mm, enjoy. I wanna eat some ice cream so badly... Ugh...**

* * *

><p><em>Month 4. July.<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>First Boss Fight<em>**  
><strong><em>The White Viburnum and The Blue Centaurea VS The Plum Blossom and The White Chrysanthemum<em>**

_Day 76. Saturday._  
><em>Day 12 of Ogiku's ownership of Alfred.<em>

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

You know what? It's not fun to get caught with the same person in the rain for the second time in two months.

More so if said person, who was eating from a box of strawberry-flavored mochi ice cream which you had bought from a Trader Joe's in New York City, had thrown a piece of said mochi ice cream so that it struck your forehead hard because said person thinks you're a total moronic goofball.

Who's that person? (I'm not parodying Pokémon here, okay?) Well, he has straight dark hair, pale skin, black-rimmed narrow glasses, and two dark eyes that I would have called beautiful if they weren't always directed at me with annoyance or else downright mischief and chaos. Oh...

Okay, guessed it right.

"Why do we have to buy mochi ice cream at this time of the day, anyway?" I said with an irritable huff as I watched the rain cascade in an endless shower of water. It wasn't heavy, but it wasn't light either. Just right.

We were under the roof of a waiting shed, of course waiting for the next bus so that we can go back to the Academy soon. I felt awkward standing beside him because of the dark purple yukata he was wearing. The people beside us looked rather intrigued in his very... Japanese look. I said that he should put on normal clothes before we go out, but he must have interpreted that as what was normal for _him_ rather than what was normal for _me_.

"Because I'm hungry, get it? And I wanted something sweet." Ogiku Honda, or else The Most Gluttonous Person After Me In The Top Ten List (he miraculously managed to look thin and so ridiculously fragile even when his favorite thing to do while chilling out was to snack on everything edible that was within his reach) took a bite of the pink-colored mochi in his grasp and stared at the remaining half as he slowly chewed. Then he mercilessly squashed it between two fingers so that the ice cream inside oozed out. I was like D: when I saw what he did.

"Hey, that's considered as cruelty to mochi!" I protested. "And it's also not right to play with your food!"

He watched the ice cream slowly go out of the mochi, then glared at me with something like annoyance.

And that's when he chucked the piece of mochi in his hand on my forehead. Hard.

"Idiot," he said calmly in very clear English. "I dunno why you seem to think that that mochi is suffering from cruelty or such, but can you just shut up and let me eat in peace?" He turned back to his box of mochi ice cream and bit off from another piece.

Meanwhile, I had removed the squashed mochi half from my forehead and was glaring at him. It had stuck on me because of the ice cream and the mochi's stickiness. It wasn't a very pleasant feeling. It was sticky. And sweet. If I didn't get a wet towel immediately so that I can wipe it off, ants will soon crawl all over me.

"Waste of food and money..." I muttered. I have no intention of throwing the poor mangled mochi away, so I decided to pop it in my mouth when he wasn't looking, or else he'll look at me funny.

...It was delicious.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

It was a cold morning. The rain pounded the windows of the dormitory hard, and was I bored. I cannot do anything but to lie down in bed like Heracles, stare at the ceiling, and listen blankly to the falling rain.

A tentative knock sounded on the door. I sat up on my bed and stared at it warily.

"Um, Kiku, are you there?"

"Ah, yes, you may come in." I figured out that the voice was Arthur's.

The door cracked open, and sure enough, Arthur Kirkland peeked into the room meekly. "I was right, you were here," he said with a little grin. "What're you doing?"

"Virtually nothing," I said dully, plopping my head back to the pillows.

"Yeah, I can see that," he said with a grin, stepping in the room and sitting on my bed. "Isn't this rain nice?"

"I'm bored," was my moody reply. I hate the rain.

He leaned over me and stared at me seriously. "Then let's go out in the garden, nobody's hindering us."

"Arthur, that's stupid," I said automatically. "We'll get drenched."

"I know, silly." He playfully brushed my bangs off my forehead. "Hello to your forehead."

I smiled and grabbed his wrist as it hovered above my face. "Don't tease so."

"Ha, Kiku Honda," he laughed, then stood up and held out his hand. "So, care to walk in the rain with me?"

I tentatively nodded. "Um, okay. If you insist."

* * *

><p>It was now just a light rain, but we were still wet to the skin as we ran across the grounds. We reached the garden, both of us panting. I glanced at Arthur. He was grinning like crazy.<p>

"I told you this rain is nice." He looked around the garden, whose flowers were all glimmering with the rain.

"I'm beginning to agree," I said, shaking rain-drenched bangs from my face.

At that point, I was pleasantly surprised when he suddenly glomped me from the front. He was so... warm...

"Watch it..." I muttered gently when his face hovered in front of me. I widened my eyes mock-innocently. "Wait, are you going to kiss me or something?"

"If you'll allow me," he said, and we both blushed furiously.

"It won't do any harm, sir," I finally murmured as I pulled him closer.

"You're demanding today," he remarked with a sly smirk.

"It's because you're inviting me," I said, smiling when his brilliant green eyes looked amused.

"Here goes then."

I closed my eyes tentatively as his face neared mine, so near that I could feel his breath fanning my face...

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"Inu-kun, if you could turn back time, what will you change in your past?"

I turned to look at my unusually silent master (that honorific was sticking more firmly to him the longer this dragged on) and found him staring out of the window. The box of mochi ice cream was held loosely in his right hand, forgotten. We had already boarded a bus, which had missed its schedule by five minutes.

"Huh?" I frowned at him. "What a strange question."

"What's strange about it?" he returned, looking at me with soulful dark eyes. He suddenly looked much more mature than was normal for his age. "Don't all people ask themselves this question at certain points in their lives?"

"Yeah, but..." I put a hand on my hair thoughtfully. "I don't think I have an answer for that question. I'm still searching for it, I guess."

He smiled at me. "We have the same answer to that question, funnily enough. But we are still young and inexperienced. Let's hope that our inner peace lasts." He looked out of the window again and his somber expression returned. "One more question: Can you promise me something, Inu-kun?"

"Depends on whether I have the capabilities to do it," I muttered warily.

"It's just a fairly easy request in itself. The challenge was if you have all the time you need to accomplish it." I watched the scenes outside the window reflect on his glasses. "It's this, Inu-kun. If ever you did find out your answer to my question, please tell me."

I scowled at his very weird behavior. "Um, o-kay, I guess -?" I decided to jump on his bandwagon for this conversation. It just seemed so... random? Off-the-wall? I dunno. "But you have to tell me your answer too if you found out, right? That's only fair." Then I put on a thoughtful face. "Er, Ogiku, what if we graduate and lead separate ways before we finally have the answer? Is that request void, then?"

He chuckled lightly (the first time he did so in front of me) and kept his gaze fixed outside on the rushing scenes of the streets of the city. "You're right. But maybe, if we're destined to meet again..." He left his sentence hanging.

* * *

><p>[<em>Ogiku<em>]

"Say, Kiku-chan, if you could turn back time, what will you change in your past?"

My Kiku-chan rarely shows his thoughts on his face. That was an established fact. A law of nature. Like now. His dark brown eyes are secretive and shy.

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm just curious, Kiku-chaaaaan..." I pretended to pout.

"Again, don't call me 'Kiku-chan'! And... W-ell, if I could turn back time, I'd have liked to find out who our true parents are."

I stare into those serious eyes. Such dark, reclusive eyes! Even I can't read them.

"Ah, I see."

I knelt on the engawa beside him. We were barely ten years old then. All I can remember in that scene was the sound of the soft autumn rain, and his shy and beautiful voice, and the way his little ash gray kimono fitted his small body perfectly. Oh, and those wide, innocent brown eyes.

Maybe that was one way to tell us apart just by looking. Our eyes.

"And you, Ogiku?"

He always addresses me without an honorific. That would be considered rude in our house if he was talking to other persons. Taking off the honorific from the name of a person implies that you two are very close. I am the first person that Kiku-chan has called like that, and before I betrayed my blood, the only one.

"I don't know yet."

"Why not?"

"Well, it's complicated. I'm still searching for the answer."

"...I see."

I put on a smile and glomped him. "Say, Kiku-chan, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Ano, Ogiku, don't -" I always seem to forget that he hates anyone invading his personal space. Or maybe I just like hugging him. He wasn't really that huggable a person, but the sight of his blushing face after a good tight hug is a treasured sight for me, since I'm almost incapable of blushing.

"Ah~ Kiku-chan is so cute~" And his warm cheek felt really good against mine. So smooth...

"E-eh -?" He didn't struggle, but he didn't embrace me back either.

"Just answer my question~!"

"Uh, I still dunno..." I drew back to stare at his face. He never looked so pink! "I think it'd be nice to be a manga artist, though..."

"Ah, sou ka..." I sat back and dangled my legs over the ground. "I want to be a famous poet someday."

"You loved poems that much, huh?" Kiku watched our maple tree bonsai, which was in a pot placed on the engawa, as the breeze buffeted its leaves. I did think that a Japanese maple bonsai is cute when its leaves are red. I had written a haiku about it when I was little, but it got lost somehow. Maybe Yao burned it.

"Not really, but it's nice to become famous through a thing that you love doing. Say, Kiku-chan, the rain is pretty. Shall I make a haiku about it?"

"Please do." Kiku looked up at the gray sky, his eyes lighted up strangely.

...That was when my memory blanked out. On the image of my twin brother lifting dark eyes to the sky. What was he thinking of back then?

I stare out of the bus window, reminiscing, the rain striking the glass.

_Why does this rain never end?_

_How can I make it stop?_

_And if I could turn back time, what will I change in my past?_

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

We walked up the long drive to the Academy. The trees adorning the school grounds were heavy-leaved with rain, their leaves a vibrant green. I think the rain was making up for the hot weather.

The rain was only a drizzle by now, fine drops showering us gently like tears. I looked up at the sky, and saw the now not-so-dark clouds.

"Hey, don't you feel like taking a stroll in the garden? It should be pretty green and stuff," I suggested to Ogiku, who shrugged.

"I don't feel like going, but if you do want to go there, then why do you have to ask me?"

"'Coz you're my master," I replied teasingly. "Masters should always accompany their dogs."

"Ha. I thought it was the other way round?" Ogiku had switched to his usual sarcastic self when we had stepped off the bus. I tell you, this guy has multiple personalities.

"Well, let's just say it's a two-way thing," I replied.

He scowled slightly at me. "Okay, I'll humor you just this time then."

We trudged the way to the garden. I was right, it was wet and the plants were a lively green. But that wasn't what caught my attention completely.

Kiku... and Arthur... Well, what's the big deal? They were only kissing in a corner of the garden. Only _kissing_...

"...Maybe I should've listened to you for this once, young master," I muttered softly, my eyes clouding over with what seemed to me as an endless bout of pain.

When Ogiku replied, his voice was quiet and clear. "We should move out, Inu-kun."

I let him lead me to the dormitory building, my mind closing off to the outside world.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

Arthur and me continued to press our lips together in the corner of the garden, the rushing music of the rain sounding past my ears. It soothed me, in a way. My mind was slowly blanking out, and nothing existed except Arthur and me and the endless refrain of the rain...

When the kiss broke, we stared into each other's eyes. I was blushing profusely, but he just smiled and ruffled my wet hair.

"Let's go back in, Kiku," he suggested, his brilliant green eyes keeping me lost in them. If Arthur Kirkland knew that he was killing Kiku Honda by merely staring at him, he would have laughed it off. But that was what I felt.

I merely nodded, and he lead me back in the dormitory.

The rain is finally calming down and stopping.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"I'm proceeding up to my floor, Inu-kun." Ogiku glanced up at me, his somber brown eyes carefully blank. "And please give yourself some peace of mind if you really love him."

"Just... just go," I muttered.

"Love doesn't need idiocy to keep it going," was his final remark. There was a gentle rustle of cotton when he made as if to go up now, but I found myself holding out my hand and grabbing on the sleeve of his yukata to stop him. He turned to look back at me, puzzled.

"Pathetic, am I." It wasn't a question. "Still pining away for the person that already committed himself to somebody else."

He merely looked at me with a neutral expression, almost like a beautifully crafted china doll. I continued, "Look, I know I am crazy because of always humoring my feelings, and pining, and all that shit, but..."

"Alfred Jones," he said seriously. "If you love my twin brother, and if you love your big brother, let them be. My Kiku-chan is happy. Do not persist in this kind of unhealthy whatnot. Or else you're the only one who gets hurt in the end."

We were silent for a while, staring at each other. His eyes were framed by sunlight-illuminated glass, so I can't read his emotions, if there were any written there.

"Alfred?" Arthur's voice suddenly burst out behind me. I turned and saw Arthur and Kiku standing on the doorway to the entrance hall. Kiku was really red. Maybe the afterglow of their kiss. I smacked myself mentally.

"Are you going out for a walk somewhere, you two?" Arthur added, seeing our clothes and eyeing my hold on Ogiku's sleeve. I forgot to release him. Oh well.

Ogiku fortunately answered before I can even open my mouth. "Oh, no, Āsā-san. We just came from one." He held out the box of mochi ice cream and tugged his sleeve out of my grip. "Want one, Kiku-chan?"

Kiku went forward and looked at the box with happily wide eyes. "Mochi ice cream? Where did you find some?"

"Really, you should utilize the Internet's abilities further, Kiku-chan." Ogiku handed him the box and crossed his arms. "Maybe I should change out of my clothes now... I'm going -"

"_Herr Honda! Gott sei Dank!_"

We all looked at the interruption and saw that it was Lili, Basch Zwingli's younger sister, looking as if a herd of demons were chasing after her. Kiku looked puzzled and alarmed.

"What is it, Lili-chan?"

Lili tried to catch her breath. "Meimei..._ Sie ist_..."

"Speak in good English, girl," Arthur said, looking worried.

"It's Mei-chan!" Lili said, her voice getting higher. "And Katyusha, Natalia... They were fighting in the _Gewächshaus, Ich kann nicht_ -!"

"Okay, calm down, Lili," I ventured to say, since her lapse into German was speaking volumes. The girl was terrified.

"So Ivan Braginski has now sent his challenge, hasn't he?" Ogiku's eyes were narrowed into slits. "The hell..."

Kiku was trembling slightly as he patted Lili's shoulder. "Lead us there," he said in a steady voice.

Ogiku took the box of mochi from Kiku and ate another piece. "Shall we, _oujo-san_?" he said with a steely smile, his eyes unamused behind his glasses.

Lili led us in the greenhouse (Ogiku smirked at Arthur when he saw the glass building), where we caught sight of Meimei, who had numerous gashes on the arms but still with a defiant look on her face, being restrained by Katyusha from behind. Natalia was holding another knife aloft, its steel blade glinting in the weak sunlight streaming through the glass panels of the greenhouse.

"_JA zabju ciabie, davoli azijackich!_" she was shrieking in Belarusian, a deranged smile on her face as she prepared to stab.

Katyusha looked terrified at the sight of the blade, but maybe she was more afraid of Natalia and Ivan - in any case, she didn't budge as she restrained Meimei, her face reverting to a look of determination instead.

Kiku recklessly wrenched open the greenhouse door and barged in, tackling Natalia to the floor. Natalia fell with a fearful snarl.

Arthur made as if to go in to Kiku's aid, but Ogiku held fast to his arm. "Let them. Kiku and Mei-chan can take care of themselves."

"But -!" Arthur turned to look in the greenhouse again as if to go inside, but Ogiku hissed angrily.

"Shall I kill you myself before Natalia does, bloody fool?" he said, furious brown eyes burning. "Kiku can own them both, even without Meimei's help! You'll be making things worse if you decide to go in!"

Arthur's green eyes blazed, but he didn't reply. Instead, he jerked his arm out of Ogiku's grip and sank in a disgruntled silence. Lili looked on, still shivery. I put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Ogiku turned to watch the fight, a thoughtful frown tugging at the corners of his lips. "Kiku may be weaker than Yao and Yong Soo in terms of raw strength, but he can use various things as effective weapons, although he tends to favor hard objects. He has also mastered four martial arts. That may help him if nothing else will. And Meimei is fast and light. She can help."

Meimei handled Katyusha, from whose grip she had escaped when the latter was distracted because of Kiku's sudden entrance, and Kiku was locked in combat with Natalia, whose knife had flown out of her hand when Kiku slammed on her. They were grappling on the ground, Natalia looking as if she was aiming to scratch Kiku's eyes out (I gulped at the thought).

"Shit, we should stop them, little guy," I told Ogiku, who was calmly eating up the remaining mochi in the box that he was still holding. "And maybe you should leave some of that for Kiku, too..."

He threw a piece of mochi to me, and I caught it by reflex. "Can you stop Natalia and Katyusha with that mochi?" he asked me with a really straight face. I choked on his question.

"What the effing -?" I was about to say, but he held up a finger. I fell silent as if he just struck me mute.

"Answer me."

"Of course not! Who could!" I replied. Arthur snorted with laughter.

"All the nuts aren't in the bins, apparently," he remarked sardonically. I snickered at his line.

"You got me, dude," I grinned.

"Okay, shut up, blondies. Let Kiku taste his share of bloodlust. He's getting too innocent for my liking." Ogiku resumed his eating.

_Huh._

Arthur blew a gasket at his cool remark. "Bloody hell, we'll have to stop them! And it's my bleedin' job, Goddamn it!"

"Cool off, mister-school-council-president," Ogiku said sarcastically. "Slap them offenses after this if you have to. Just don't ruin Kiku's concentration while he's seeing red, or he'll be after you next."

Arthur shot him a venomous glare. Ogiku smiled calmly, eyebrows furrowing.

* * *

><p>I don't need to narrate about the fight blow-by-blow because my narrative is getting too long, but I hope it suffices to say that it resulted to Arthur sentencing Katyusha with suspension and Natalia to an extended suspension period. And of course, their parents have been summoned to the Academy.<p>

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

"Are you all right, Meimei?" I asked softly, stroking Meimei's back gently as Lili bandaged up her arms.

"Of course, Kiku-gē!" she said, putting on a brave face. "It'll take more than that to kill Xiao Mei!"

I winced. "Don't joke about that, Mei."

We were in Yao's room, where Yao had prepared tea on the fireplace to soothe Mei. She was shaken and wounded, but otherwise unharmed.

"The student council president'll take care of Natalia and Katyusha's punishments, so don't worry," Xiao Chun put in, taking the teacup that Yao proffered him with a small murmur of thanks.

"Yeah, they'll never get you again, _da ze_~!" Yong Soo agreed enthusiastically, already draining his cup with a slurp. He's the only one who does that among us.

Ogiku rolled his eyes as he perched himself gracefully on the edge of Yao's bed. "How did they catch you? I should've thought you're faster than that."

"It's Katyusha, see." Meimei gave Yao a smile as he handed her a steaming cup. "I mean, we've become good friends lately... I didn't think she'll ambush me like that..."

"Lower your guard to those Russian siblings and they'll have you in a snap." Ogiku finished off his tea and rotated the cup over and over in his hands. "And Ivan Braginski... That bastard is looking for it this time..."

"Hush, aru." Yao poured Yong Soo another cup of tea and looked at Ogiku sternly. "Don't call Ivan a bastard, aru. He's still your upperclassman, aru."

Ogiku looked at Yao with scorn. I have forgotten that they were often at loggerheads with each other ever since we've been kids, although Yao must have also cared for him somewhere in his heart. "His being an upperclassman doesn't change the fact that he's still a bastard," he said slowly, standing up and placing his cup on Yao's bedside table. "And you of all people should know that he's a total ass. I mean, isn't he -"

"Shut _up_, aru!" Yao snapped, glaring at Ogiku angrily and also straightening up. We watched interestedly. It's been ages since we've seen Yao and Ogiku at each other's throats. The dragon and the tiger are going to clash again, huh? Interesting. "You don't know anything about Ivan, aru!"

"Oh, so _you_ do?" Ogiku licked his bottom lip slowly, his voice dripping with deceiving sweetness. "How close can you get to an underclassman, huh?" He raised his chin ever so slightly. "Yao... _nii-chan_?"

Yao's eyes widened with anger and he started forward, ending with a sharp smack on Ogiku's face and sending the latter reeling from the blow and landing on the bed behind him. Meimei and Lili gasped.

Ogiku's chest rose and fell quickly, his bangs shielding his eyes from my view, but he looked up at Yao immediately. Amazingly, his eyes were shining with what seemed to me to be triumph. I saw with some concern that the left side of his face was quickly reddening. "Love from a lover does outweigh all other kinds of love, doesn't it?" he said quietly.

The door opened suddenly, and the tall, dreaded form of Ivan Braginski himself stepped over the doorway into the room. Xiao Chun's cup fell on the wooden floor and crashed into two pieces.

"_Fāyán de móguǐ, móguǐ huì chūxiàn_," Ogiku murmured quietly in Chinese. Yao's angry glance at him would have killed a weaker man.

"Get out, _Dá_ Júhuā," Yao muttered with a dangerous tone.

Ogiku wordlessly passed Yao's quivering figure, but reaching Ivan, he said pleasantly, "Good afternoon, Braginski-senpai."

"Good afternoon too," the huge Russian greeted him amiably. "So all of your siblings are here? How nice, da!"

"Why are you here, senpai?" Ogiku continued. Yao looked as if he was getting more provoked by the minute because of Ogiku.

"Well, I'm Yao's roommate!" Ivan replied cheerfully. I was shocked. So were my siblings. Meimei actually gasped.

"Ah, I see!" Ogiku quickly covered up his surprise, then flashed Yao an amused glance. "How... convenient then, my dear sir..."

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Tell me if you enjoyed this chapter! I need all your opinions so badly! And I meant all of your opinions (I'm watching the visitor traffic, guys... I know there are more of you out there...)! This is quite a worked-on chapter!**

**Ha, that was quite long! Reply space!**

_Alice Barden_**: No offense taken:D... But I think he also has flaws if you just disregard his fighting skills...:3**

_chikinkira_**: Wow, thank you for the review! Saw the Chibihon segment?:3**

**I'm updating fast because I aim to push all the chapters that I can in the story before I get too busy to update... Vacation is soon ending!**


	20. Phase ONE

**A/N: A good ol' nǐ hǎo to you all! Author-san here!**

**This is going to be the first part of the Phase period. Next part's going to be much longer, I just needed a foundation for the next chapter.**

**Okay, so we uncovered RoChu at last... So the Sunflower and the Rock Peony are allies? Okay, it's complicated!**

**For the first effing time, dominating the scene would be AlfredxBlack!Kiku. At long last, although chapter title must have gave it away... Meh.**

**In this chapter: Ogiku sleeps over in Alfred and Arthur's room on a rainy Saturday evening.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Phase ONE<br>The White Chrysanthemum Levels Up!  
><strong>__  
>Day 89. Friday.<br>Day 25 of Ogiku's ownership of Alfred._

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

Friday again. You know what that means. It's special class.

_Time_: 10:45 am.

The Asian Dance teacher was absent, so Yong Soo messed around with the stereo and plugged his USB in the port, thus playing his endless trove of K-pop songs.

All of us siblings were irritated. Of course, who wouldn't? All except Xiao Chun, who was expressionless. Of course.

Yao looked eerily distant from us. Most likely thinking about something really deep. He was totally the type to brood over things.

Meimei was arguing with Xiao Chun over something that wasn't of any interest to me, so I tried to ignore them (Meimei was trying to squash Xiao Chun on his chair by sitting on him) and turned my attention to my twin. I found that he was sleeping soundly on his desk from sheer boredom, his glasses threatening to slip off his nose. I carefully removed and folded them neatly, and set them beside him. I was surprised he managed to sleep while SHINee was blasting off the speakers.

Yong Soo was conversing with the shy Park Eun Mi (I dunno if they're in a relationship now or what), his goofy smile toning itself down somewhat. I sighed with relief at his somewhat normal behavior today. I wished that it will last.

* * *

><p>The rest of the morning passed swiftly, and I found myself going down to lunch with my siblings, who were in their usual noisy selves outside of class.<p>

It was a terribly hot day. We were all ready to melt in our places. I was asking myself why our uniform had to be _black_. Meimei had already made adjustments to her skirt and made it shorter than usual to cope with the heat, but found out that it didn't do much help because she was starting another word war with Xiao Chun, whose usually long patience was also being tried because of the high temperature. I hoped he hadn't any kind of firework on his person today.

After that day when Yao had backhanded Ogiku across the face because of The Incident (although I had a shrewd idea of what it was all about... and I was ready to bet my identity as Honda Kiku on it), Yao and Ogiku had mutually refused to acknowledge that the other one even existed. Ogiku still hung out with us on the table, but the two of them were carefully avoiding conversation or even eye contact with each other. Even in the midst of all this noise.

And then, to make my day, Yong Soo decided to grope me again while I was busy eating. Rule number one. You don't disturb Asians when they are eating. That's plain blasphemous. And that rule has an attachment. You also don't disturb them while eating by groping them.

"Kiku-hyung's breasts belong to me, _da ze_~!" he declared, as if he was the first man on the moon. Okay, that wasn't a wise comparison.

"You're wrong," Ogiku snapped waspishly, taking off his glasses to wipe his face with a handkerchief more thoroughly. "They belong to someone else already (I do not know how to react at this statement, brother). And dammit, why does it have to be so hot? I thought we're in frigging New York city, not in the middle of the fucking Sahara." Okay, his temper was getting worse by the second.

"Let go of my chest, Yong Soo." I struggled with Yong Soo, who was still feeling me up.

Yao was the only silent one in our table. He picked at his food and didn't join in the sibling fun that was wreaking havoc on our table. It kind of freaked me out, because he was usually worrying himself over calming us all down. But now, he's ignoring the chaos, even when Yong Soo snuck up on him and groped him too.

"Aiyaa, I'm not in the mood, aru!" he said with a grimace.

"Yong Soo," I said firmly, trying to act the big brother role, since Yao seemed so out of it. "Cut it out."

He pouted and returned to his chair, which was beside Ogiku.

"Don't try to touch me, or I'll have your heart on a stick," was Ogiku's warning at Yong Soo.

Of course, that warning was blatantly disregarded by my cheeky younger brother, who proceeded to feel my twin up. I felt like drenching Yong Soo with the water in my glass...

"Ah, _fuck_, talk about dense!"

Splash!

Ogiku had beaten me on dumping his water first all over Yong Soo's head, who took it all with good grace.

"_Komapsumnida_!" he said with a grin, shaking his sopping hair out of his eyes and letting go of my twin's chest.

"_Itsudemo_," Ogiku replied sarcastically, crossing his arms tightly.

I sighed and glanced at Yao, who was still silent.

"Good day, guys!" Alfred flung himself on the chair beside Xiao Chun and began eating his usual burger with utmost gusto. Ogiku threw him a disgusted look and hit the table with his forehead exasperatedly.

"_Mudana inu_..." he mumbled.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

The Asians were all like limp vegetables when I reached their table, but I didn't mind.

"Good day, guys!" I hollered, sitting beside Leon and taking a bite of the cheeseburger in my hand.

I noticed Ogiku's head fall on the table with a loud thunk. He muttered something that I didn't catch.

"Are you okay, Ogiku?" I said through mouthfuls.

He raised his head and snarled, "Fuck off, bastard."

"Ogiku," Kiku sighed.

I raised an eyebrow. "Ooh, looks like my master's mood is not good today!" I said with an awesome grin. I meant it.

"Obviously," Leon said with heavy sarcasm and some irritation as Meimei pulled his hair hard. "Ow! What was that for!"

Wow, Leon actually reacted angrily to that. I see this wasn't the best time to toy with them. They were all seriously pissed off.

"I should think that Ivan's happy today," I said, trying to find a topic that won't irritate anyone of them. "He likes warm weather."

Eh, fail?

"Fuck you, fuck the weather, fuck Ivan Braginski," Ogiku muttered in a muffled voice, his face buried in his table napkin. I smirked as Kiku looked horrified at his brother's very rude statement. Well, rude for him, at least. I don't mind, since he just cursed Ivan Braginski.

Yao was glaring at me as if he was itching to place his hands around my throat, so I averted my gaze from his. Hummm. Not doin' nothin'.

Yong Soo chuckled and (Kiku and I were shocked) suddenly upended his glass of ice water over Ogiku's head. Ogiku tore his face from the table napkin and shot Yong Soo a look that made me hide my face behind my soda cup, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

"_Nan da yo_, Im Yong Soo..." he said quietly. "I think you need a good groping yourself..."

Well, I don't need to say what happened next, but for the slow dudes out there, Yong Soo had taken to his heels, Ogiku chasing after him with a murderous glint in his eye. Wait, what?

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

I was in my last class, which was European Geography, when I chanced to look out of the window and see a flock of birds in a tight flying formation, their graceful dark bodies etched against the light blue sky. I smiled at them, wondering how a sight like that can make my heart feel as if it were flying alongside with them.

I reverted my gaze to the board, but staring at the map of Europe was maybe the most boring thing I've ever done. Alfred used to wonder (very loudly) if the whole continent of Europe was smaller than the United States of bloody America. Okay, I admit that Europe was the smallest continent, but did he have to rub it in?

All in all, I was relieved when the bell rang, since I badly needed fresh air to clear my head. I almost tore out of the room in my haste.

"Kiku!"

He was outside the Asian Music classroom, watching Ogiku as he argued with Alfred heatedly. He turned my head toward me. "Arthur?" A flicker of a smile appeared on his face before dying out and giving way to his natural seriousness.

"Good day, Alfred, Ogiku," I said stiffly to the other two, who broke up their argument to look at me simultaneously. "By the way, Alfred, your much-awaited suspension is scheduled on next Friday. Did Feliciano tell you?"

"Oh, yeah. He did tell me about that," Alfred said with a small frown.

Ogiku looked thoughtful. "Ivan Braginski, Natalia Arlovskaya and Katyusha Braginskaya got suspensions too, am I right?"

I nodded at him. "Yes."

"Will they be all together while serving the first day of their suspensions?"

"Yes," I affirmed once more.

He bobbed his head. "_Sou ka_. Thank you."

"Oh..." I frowned. "What was that for?"

"Nothing. I was just wondering if they can survive in one room together for one day without demolishing the room completely."

Kiku shook his head wearily. "Ogiku..."

I wasn't sure how to react to his statement, but before I could reach a decision, Ogiku had pulled Alfred with him, deciding to use him as a research assistant.

"Come on, no one will eat you there..."

"I don't want to go there! It's boring!"

"You don't want to do our World History research in the library? Where d'you want to do it then?"

"I don't want to do any research, 'kay?"

"Oh, unlucky you. I want to do research, so off we go, Inu-kun~!" Drag, drag, drag.

Yeah, you heard that right. He just said that sentence with an innocent Japanese wave dash. Or a tilde in good old English.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

I glanced at Arthur with a somewhat worried look. Something had been nagging on my mind all throughout the day, and noting Yao's constant moodiness today didn't help me relax.  
>"Arthur, are you sure we have to say that to Yao right now?" We were striding along the hallways of the dormitory to my brother's room.<p>

"Of course. I mean, strike while the iron is hot, as the proverb says. It's actually an old English proverb. It never failed me."

"Well..."

"Are you worrying that he'll suddenly pull out a wok on us and wallop us on the heads when we break the news?"

"Not really. I'm just nervous."

He grasped my hand warmly for comfort. "Don't worry. I'm here."

I beamed at him lightly, squeezing his hand back. "Yes, you are."

* * *

><p>"<em>Nín hǎo<em>, aniue." I bowed deeply to Yao, who responded with a dip of his head. I was currently peeking into the doorway, after knocking at the door and hearing his voice permitting me to come inside.

"_Nǐ hǎo_, Kiku." His amber eyes curiously flicked to Arthur's green ones. "And Kirkland, aru."

"Um, yeah. Good afternoon." Arthur looked uncomfortable as we both stepped into the room. I guess it is slightly intimidating to enter a room that made you feel as if you suddenly stepped in a traditional Chinese house. Yao is very superstitious in a Chinese sort of way, so I'm quite sure he had applied _fēngshuǐ_ in every corner of this room. I think he also chose this room as auspicious, so he decided to set his lodging in this particular room, rather than let the administration choose for him. He must have wheedled them expertly to have them grant his request.

"How can I help you two, aru? You both seemed too tense to me." Yao took a porcelain teapot from his bedside table and gracefully poured two cups of tea. "Maybe some tea will help, aru. This is freshly prepared. Kirkland, are you allergic to chrysanthemums, aru?"

"Not in the slightest," Arthur said, glancing at me with a sly smile. I blushed lightly.

"Thank you," I murmured as Yao handed out the cups. I sat beside Yao on his bed, while Arthur occupied the red divan on the corner.

"Coincidentally, this is _júhuā chá_, aru. I made some because it was a very hot day, and this helps to cool the body." Yao took the glass bowl containing some rock sugar beside the porcelain teapot and scooped some, letting the crystals fall on the tea silently. "Would you like some sugar, aru?" he asked me.

"Ah, none at the moment, aniue. I prefer chrysanthemum tea at its healthiest." I held the teacup comfortably in my hands and looked at Arthur, who looked puzzled at the almost colorless appearance of the tea. I guess he hasn't encountered this type of Chinese tea yet in his whole life.

"Would you like some sugar, Kirkland, aru?" Yao offered the sugar bowl to Arthur, who politely accepted and put some in his. "It is made with white _Huángshān Gòngjú_."

"Ah, the famous _Gòngjú_?" I took a cautious sip and swallowed. "Where did you get some?"

"I have my sources, aru," he said with a shrug.

"I'm sure you have," I said, taking another sip and glancing at Arthur. The so-called British gentleman had put on a thoughtful face as he silently drank his tea. I guess he was now puzzling over the taste.

"Anyway, let's skip the small talk, aru." Yao's wise eyes looked directly into mine. I kept my eyes averted, because it was rude to stare directly into an elder's eyes while he or she was looking at you. Or at least, it was rude in our family. "What have you come for, aru ka?"

I glanced again at Arthur and saw that he was looking a bit tense. "Aniue, there is... something that Arthur and I had wanted to tell you."

"I can see that, aru," Yao looked serious at our expressions. "Tell me, aru."

"_E-eto_," I stammered, but Arthur had risen to his feet first and was now speaking in a very steeled voice.

"Yao, I'm sorry if this is a bit forward of me, but I know that beating around the bush is not going to benefit anybody, and since I'm not Oriental, I think it's perfectly excusable to speak this way to you since I am ignorant of your concept of polite speech." He spoke with such confidence that I felt my heart almost burst with pride. "I'm proud to admit that I love Honda Kiku, and that we are now in a relationship." I just realized how much I loved to hear his accentuated speech. Clipped, and direct. Painfully direct, almost.

Yao didn't speak for quite some time, his golden eyes locked with Arthur's emerald ones. I kept my eyes on the floor, my ears pricked up for Yao's response.

I heard a gentle sound of porcelain against wood as Yao set down his cup on his bedside table. Then he began to speak. "_Xiǎo júhuā, nǐ ài tā ma_?"

_Little chrysanthemum, do you love him?_

"_Hai, watashi wa sorehodo kare o aishite imasu_." I said this with a firm voice. Arthur looked perplexed when we began speaking in our native languages.

_Yes, I love him very much._

His golden eyes fixed on me. I felt the intensity of his gaze.

"_Ránhòu, wǒ méiyǒu gèng duō dehuà yào shuō_." He cannot speak flatly because Chinese required expression, but I felt it was meant to be flat.

I quickly looked up and into Yao's eyes in disbelief. He was smiling strangely.

"_H-hontō desu ka_?"

_Then I have nothing more to say._

_R-really?_

"_Shì de_."

_Yes_!

"_Wǒ lǐjiě nǐ de gǎnshòu_."

_I understand your feeling_.

I stood up and bowed as deeply as I can.

"_Dōmo arigatō gozaimashita, aniue_!"

_Thank you very much, big brother_!

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

_Oh she, oh she so international  
>The way, the way she get it on the floor<br>I'm tryin', I'm tryin' to holler at you  
>I want to get to know you better<br>_  
>"Will you shut up or something?" That angry outburst from Ogiku, who was occupying my freakin' bed, was accompanied by a heavy book thrown at me. Luckily, I caught it with my awesome hero reflexes and continued singing to Jesse McCartney, jumping up on Iggy's bed and dancing.<p>

It was a nice cool evening, the rain lightening up the high temperature of the summer. So maybe that's the reason why I was so hyper this evening. Or maybe it was the chocolate milkshake I had this afternoon. Whatever.

Ogiku, giving up on trying to quieten me (I can't hear him properly anyways), turned back to the piece of silk cloth he was writing on with a brush and black ink and grudgingly continued his thing. I smiled.

_Parlez-vous français?  
>Konnichiwa<br>Come and move in my way  
>Hey, little chica from Guadeloupe<br>That thing you got behind you is amazing_

As if on cue, Iggy burst in the room and stopped short when he saw me singing on his bed. He looked pissed off from the sight.

"What the hell are you doing on my bed?" he roared, his ears reddening. His voice was so loud, I actually heard him through my headphones. "And couldn't you be quiet for once? Your voice can be heard down the hall, dammit!"

I sang the chorus before answering. Because you don't interrupt heroes when they're singing, dude.

_Now, I don't speak Spanish, Japanese or French  
>But the way that body's talkin' definitely makes sense<br>It's her, her body, her body, her body language  
>It's her, her body, her body, her body language -<em>

"Belt up, Alfred!" Iggy looked totally pissed when I directed my singing and dancing to him. "This isn't FUNNY!"

I tore my headphones off and grinned at Artie. "That's where you're wrong, Ig!" I pointed at Ogiku, who had actually fallen halfway on the floor with my red-white-and-blue blankets wrapped around him because of a sudden fit of uncontrollable giggles overcoming his usual poised self. "If that wasn't someone finding all this funny, I don't know what will!"

Ogiku choked and said in a halting voice, "Calm down, Āsā-san! Excuse me, but -" He snickered when he glanced at me (did I look that funny to him?) and promptly began laughing again.

Iggy glared at the two of us exasperatingly and said with a kind of forced calm, "You two are totally out of your minds! And Alfred, hand me my geometry book please, upon which you are kindly standing on now."

"Aw, you just found out the fact that we're crazy loons, Iggster?" I said with a huge smile, tossing him the book from the bed. He caught it with an unamused look in his eyes.

Ogiku had opened his mouth to say something, but before he could speak, he had rolled himself, blankets and all, to the floor and assumed the resemblance of a piece of sushi roll, the quivering of the bundle-that-was-him indicative of his attempt to stem his laughter. He's such a crazy guy. Proof? He laughs really hard when no one does.

Arthur threw us a nasty look and stomped out of the room, defeated. He slammed the door after him.

"I love you, dude," I said, smirking at the bundle of blankets on the floor. "Totally blew Iggy up!"

Ogiku can only hiccup in reply, his head still buried in my blankets.

"Alright, dude?"

"Go shrivel and _die_, prick."

I tell you, he has multiple personalities.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

It had been a rather busy Friday for me as the student council president and as a third-year student also. I had to sign a lot of proposals for the incoming school activities, which included a rather urgent one about the Summer Festival, which was to be held next month, then I confiscated some beers from a freshman hardly taller than me. I also did my homework in Geometry, a paper for English, some essays for Geography and World History, and a bloody draft for Home Economics class.

I felt really drained while staring at the rows of the library's bookshelves behind me. Okay, not just drained. Bloody sapped. Like a maple tree or something. Gah.

"Good evening, Kirkland-senpai."

I whipped around to see an apologetic-looking Sakura behind me, a stack of papers in her arms.

"Bonnefoy-senpai sent these to you... You have to sign all of these, he said..."

I let out a heavy sigh. "Okay. I'm taking them, Sakura. Good evening." Francis must have deduced that I will be hanging out in the library. Again.

"Good evening, senpai."

She left me sitting there with the papers. I heard the library door close, and I was alone.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

It was raining hard when I went down for dinner. The raindrops were big and fast, and the stars were snuffed out by the dark rain clouds from the night sky.

It was funny, now that I think of it, but ever since Arthur kissed me under the rain, I had loved watching it. It seemed as if this was the same rain that washed all of my doubts and insecurities away.

"Ve~ Kiku, is that you?"

I saw a cautious-looking Feliciano approach me carefully, an exasperated-looking Ludwig dragged unwillingly behind him. His curl had been always pulled at every chance by my twin since the latter's first day here in the World W Academy, resulting in Feliciano's precaution to stay a meter away from Ogiku whenever their paths meet.

"Feliciano, Kiku is the one who doesn't wear glasses, so it's okay." Ludwig rolled his eyes at me. I almost smiled.

"Oh!" Feliciano wasted no time in glomping and kissing me on the cheek. "I'm sorry, Kiku! I just had to be careful!"

"I-It's fine, Feliciano-kun..." I was almost crushed in his hug. He was too tall for me. "I'd really appreciate it if you'll just let go of me... I -"

"Ve~!" Feliciano immediately let go of me, concern spreading over his goodnatured face. "I'm sorry! I really am~!"

"Ah, that's all right, really," I said, waving my hands in front of me for emphasis. Feliciano looked vastly relieved. "Then I should go to my siblings' table, then, Feliciano-kun, Ludwig-san. If you do not mind."

Ludwig nodded. "Yes. See you around, Kiku."

* * *

><p>I had a rather silent meal with my siblings compared to our lunch earlier. It was so awkward, you have no idea. Even Alfred, who had to be the most oblivious person in the campus, felt the tension too.<p>

In a nutshell, my two "elder" brothers were acting like five-year-old kids. Well, really stubborn five-year-old kids. Meh.

And _kami-sama_, if my elder brothers' behaviors are considered childish already, then would that would make my younger siblings' behaviors even more childish?

Er, but maybe not tonight, that was for certain. It was quiet. Too... quiet.

I was slowly freaking out inside at the calm (I knew that Alfred was too), but I kept my face a careful blank. I was technically the tasked one to break up any kind of chaos once it unleashes itself because I instinctively knew that the two eldest persons sitting here tonight will not be on fraternal duty should an occurrence like what I was fearing would happen.

Ogiku suddenly pushed his plate back, and stood up. "I'm finished," he said tonelessly. The kind of voice that I would have used if I was standing on the edge of a live volcano's crater.

Alfred seemed relieved at this, and hurriedly escaped - I mean, strolled away from the table with my twin. His nervous laughter rang off in the distance after a few moments.  
>The tension was still rampant in the air. It was as if Yao was taking out his frustrations at Ogiku's leaving without having thrown a single hateful word at him on us. I took my utensils next and bowed at the remaining seated around the table.<p>

"Good evening, aniue. Uh, see you guys tomorrow. Have to go."

No response. But I know you knew that that was going to happen already.

I broke into a brisk walk and made my way to the dormitory, luckily unscathed.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

"I don't hate Yao-nii-chan. I just think he's stupid. Siding with Ivan Braginski and all that. When I knew that the bastard was the one who -"

"But didn't you say that they have a relationship? Then that would be natural, right?"

"If he wasn't that family-centered naturally, then it wouldn't have been a big deal. Moron."

"Huh? But didn't -"

"...Never mind, idiot."

I grinned and lounged on the floor with two of my pillows and the blanket. We were in my room again, and again, he was occupying the bed. So I was left on the floor. "Ouch. You hate me that much?" I joked.

He embraced the last pillow left on my bed and curled up on the bed like a cat around it. "Inu-kun, can I stay here for the night?"

"I guess, if Iggy doesn't mind you sleeping over too." I was a bit surprised at his request. He was unusually solemn. "Why?"

"I just don't feel like sleeping in my room tonight." He took off his glasses and held them unfolded in one hand. His face was expressionless, and his blank brown eyes were staring off on the wall opposite my bed. I hate to say this, but he looked so much like Kiku at that moment that I almost suggested that he must leave right now... Kinda sensitive over that topic with Arthur, see.

"Well, if you're really going to stay over, how about a drink? No alcohol, since Iggy's quite the law abider, but maybe some... uh, pineapple juice?" I was running my eyes through the supplies in our fridge. "Golly, I forgot we have to restock on soda..."

"That would be nice, thank you," he replied softly, still staring on the opposite wall blankly. I was rather puzzled at his docile behavior, but I didn't show it. All of us have issues, anyways.

"Here," I called, tossing a sealed bottle of pineapple juice on the bed by his leg. He sat up, reached for the bottle and opened it, his dark eyes looking into my eyes so discerningly that I felt myself blush. He folded his glasses and set it on my bedside table before staring at me again.

"Sometimes I find you so strange, you know?" he mused after taking a sip from his bottle. "You just act so... weird."

I flashed him a smile and a thumbs-up. "It's okay! I'm American!"

He chucked the bottle cap at me. It bounced off my forehead, but it wasn't as hard as usual. Playful, even. "Idiot," he said, an involuntary smile taking over his lips.

"Anyways, care to talk more about Yao?" I continued cautiously, snapping a can of root beer open. "What caused you to think that Ivan and Yao were... uh..."

"Well, it's simple, really. Not that you would understand, anyway." He looked melancholic and began drinking the rest of the pineapple juice for three minutes straight. I watched him silently, then drank some of the root beer. It tasted good when chilled like this.

I didn't press him for details. It seemed like a really touchy subject for him. For the first time, he looked so lost to me. A strange feeling was blossoming in my chest. I felt eerily sympathetic.

I toyed with the hem of my shirt, fingering the stitches on the cloth. The silence that fell was awkward. Super duper to the max awkward. To the point wherein I was blushing so hard that Ogiku even noticed me.

"All right, Inu-kun?" he asked, a sliver of worry threading in his voice. "Are you feeling sick or something -?"

"I-I'm fine!" I stuttered, my face warming all the more at this display of concern from the last person that I've expected to look worried for me.

"Hm. Suit yourself." Switching to his normal unsympathetic attitude, Ogiku capped the bottle and set it on the floor. "I'm going to sleep. You cam stay on the floor."

"Huh? But that's my bed!" I protested.

Ogiku stuck his tongue out at me. It was totally cute. "Poor you. I got here first~." He put the faintest possible stress on the word 'first.'

"Sheesh. You're so bossy." I watched Ogiku curl up on his side again on my bed and blink at me with large dark eyes. Damn, he's got to stop being so cute or I'll glomp him. Not that I truly meant that, by the way. He's going to bite me if I attempt. I just knew it. "Wait, don't sleep yet. I'm bored."

He raised himself on his elbows and sighed. "Why? What d'you want to talk about?"

"I want to know more about you." I smiled encouragingly. "I mean, we've been together for more than two weeks already, so I just want to know more about you. As a person."

He scowled, but he arranged his body into a more tensed position to help keep him awake. "Where do we start?"

"Full name." Oh, I'll enjoy this at least.

"Ogiku Honda. You can call me by my Chinese name too, but Westerners tend to mispronounce Chinese words. Anyways, Yao named me Dá Júhuā. It's because I'm older than Kiku, I suppose. Figure out for yourself what that adjective meant."

"Eh, okay. How much older are you than Kiku?"

"Fifty-three days. I was born in the dead of winter."

"Hm... Whoa, that must've been tough, then. Likes and dislikes? Um, food?"

"I love eating pretty much anything, so I can't say that I particularly dislike any food item. I'm not that picky. My favorite was Yao's jiaozi. Although it's pretty much the same as gyoza, though. Meh."

"I see... So Yao usually cooks in your house, huh?"

"Not really. We all knew how to cook as well as we knew how to play when we were kids. The fact that Yao is a kitchen geek helped, of course. Hahaue believed that a child must learn how to manage a household before studying the sciences."

"I guess that's so..."

"Any more questions?"

"Um..." I cast around for a question. "Just tell me more about your personal preferences."

"Preferences... Hm..." He reached for the bottle of pineapple juice and uncapped it again. "I love the colors black and white. They look good on my complexion and hair when I wear clothes of their color... And I really like listening to Kiku sing those nice slow Japanese songs. I also like it when Xiao Chun cooks dinner. He's a genius, he may have inherited Yao's cooking gene. And, well, I don't like Meimei that much, although I do love her dearly. She always gets into the most outrageous stuff with Yong Soo. I like Yong Soo, though. He's a troublemaker, so I kind of feel closer to him than to my other four siblings in terms of mischief-making."

"Ohh... Um, any other hobbies besides poetry, eating, and plotting about kills?"

"Not much. I do enjoy gardening, though. But only if Kiku-chan joins me. He always knows what to correct me on."

"First love?"

"Does Kiku-chan count?"

"Huh? That's not fair! Romantic love was what I meant!"

"I'm serious. I kissed him once when we were kids. I did think that maybe that's his first, though..."

"..." Dude, I am so speechless.

"Next question. I'm getting sleepy."

"Your honest opinion on me?"

"I think you're the biggest air-headed idiot I've ever talked to for quite a while."

"Oh, nothing positive?"

"Well, you're quite alright, though in a really naïve way. That's just it... I can't say anything more than that, 'cause I'd be lying then."

"That's not cute!"

"Leave the cuteness to Kiku. The rest are all mine. So don't expect me to act accordingly. _Ecchi_."

"_Ecchi_?"

"I just called you a pervert, bastard. So clap your hands and sing oh joy."

"S-shut up now!"

"Lemme sleep. It's late."

"It's just nine thirty. It's not late. Gosh, you're like Mattie."

"Meh."

A long silence occurred, then Ogiku decided to curl like a cat on the bed again and let sleep overtake him slowly. He reverted to a pensive state of mind.

"Do you know that most Japanese people tend to sleep curled up on their sides?" he said suddenly, rubbing a drooping eyelid.

"Mm, nope." I watched his eyes move as he looked blankly at my face. "Haven't heard that yet."

"Kiku looks really cute when he sleeps by the kotatsu," he added absently, as if focusing on the image in his mind. "He's like a cat. Leave him by the kotatsu all alone in a winter evening with nothing to do and he'll be soon fast asleep under ten minutes. But of course it's terribly comfortable, so I'd say that's normal..."

"I should think so," I said, smiling widely at his half-closed eyes. He glared at me, but the effect was lost because he was already sleepy. That was quick.

"I hate you when you show your insensitive side, you know that?" he mumbled. "You should be... I dunno. More perceptive of your surroundings or..."

"Love you too," I interrupted jokingly. "Just shut up and sleep."

He stuck out a slender leg and kicked my arm tentatively.

I snorted. "Just be fast and fall asleep already so that Iggy will be forced to let you here tonight. I should think that he's not going to be too pleased with the idea. He's a prude, after all."

"Good idea." He finally closed his eyes and, well, maybe he immediately fell asleep. Or was pretending. Okay, let's go with the first one.

I covered him with my blanket and watched him sleep in utter peace. I then watched his shoulders rise and fall gently as he slumbered for a long while, my eyes unconsciously memorizing his physical features. After my scrutiny, and also after determining whether he is truly asleep, I leaned closer to his sleeping face and whispered softly, "I was a bit joking when I said I love you. But... I think I like you. Not sure though, 'coz you boss me around an awful lot. You do know that, right?"

"Moron," he whispered back in his sleep. Or at least that's what I heard him say.

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Looky here! Himaruya-san drew a canon picture of Hong Kong (it was for the Chinese New Year, I suppose) !**

**Link (remove spaces): **_http : / /himaruya. blog61. fc2. com/ ?mode =m &no =1061_

** I also saved a colored drawing of Himaruya-san's that depicted Kiku in his black uniform and lying in rose-colored water. I'd like to think that it's Ogiku, in a way. I made it into a wallpaper in my iPod Touch. Whee!**


	21. Phase TWO

**A/N: Прывітанне! This is the next chapter! Romancing from a certain American guy… Yeah, AlfredxBlack!Kiku totally. Then we switch to the drama-ness part rather abruptly.**

**For some reason, Ogiku is really sassy here.**

**Hope you enjoy, awesome dudes. You can listen to Miku Hatsune's '**_Last Night, Good Night_**' too if you want.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Phase TWO<strong>__  
>The Black Chrysanthemum and The Red Rose Sign An Alliance!<em>

_Day 95. Thursday._  
><em>Day 31 of Ogiku's ownership of Alfred.<em>

* * *

><p>[<em>Ogiku<em>]

"You're so slow, Inu-kun."

"Yeah, yeah. Heard that from you a lotta times already. And damn, all these books are just too heavy… Why d'you have to carry these all to the dorm?"

"Ah, are you perhaps complaining, Inu-kun?" I said this with a really nice smile. He flinched. That reaction was what I was expecting from him.  
>"Uh, not really," he muttered, blushing. That reaction, however, was unexpected.<p>

"Go faster, or I'll climb you and you'll carry those books plus me. I don't think you want that to happen."

He grinned, which confused me a lot. "I wouldn't mind."

If I were Kiku, maybe I would have blushed at his bold statement. But of course, I'm not. So my expression stayed neutral.

"Idiot." I rolled my eyes and continued to walk, my attention arrested by other things as he followed.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

I have taken to teasing Ogiku every time I get a chance. The guy wasn't easy to seriously annoy, though. He just gets real irritated, but that's about it.

It was just after classes when we were strolling across the quadrangle. I was carrying all of his books and things, including a box of various papers, which I kept balanced on top of the books. Seriously, how can I ascend the stairs like this?

Obviously, the guy walking before me wasn't worrying about those things.

"Oi. Ogiku."

He didn't turn around. "What now?"

I hurried to keep up with him. "Have you made up with Yao?"

He didn't speak for a while. Then he flicked his eyes at me, removed his glasses, and slid it in his pocket. He seemed to know that his glare was more severe without his glasses. "One of these days, I'll apologize to him. Once I settle my business with Ivan Braginski."

I scowled lightly and rested my chin on the edge of the box. Yeah, the stack of books I was carrying was that tall. "I just noticed. You always call Ivan by his full name."

"Respect thine enemies," was his simply-put answer. "Poetry is true to remind me of that. He attacked my family. Kiku always told me this proverb: Jigou jitoku. One's act, one's profit. Ivan has acted. And he shall receive his profit soon."

I thought for a while. "Is it like the proverb 'You reap what you sow'?"

He nodded with a sigh.

We remained silent for the rest of the trip back to the dormitory.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

The sun is still shining brightly as I peeked through the curtains in my room. I was arranging my study table, which was getting rather cluttered as time went on. I have no idea how this came to be.

A knock sounded on the door and Heracles entered the room, looking rather more disheveled than usual. I watched him as he kicked off his shoes and tore off his vest for a nap.

"Are you all right, Heracles-san?" I asked shyly.

"Um. It's just Sadık again." He rested his head on his pillows and looked up at the ceiling. "He always annoys me whenever I see him. More so if he begins to talk."

"I imagined that such would be the case." I smiled sympathetically as I gathered up all of my pens so that I can put them neatly in my drawer. I had been drawing an awful lot in these days while at class or even in here while I puzzled over my homework. It helped alleviate stress.

I turned to look at Heracles and saw that he was already asleep. I sighed and finished up my task, and watched the world beyond the window again.

It was a lovely day outside. Indeed.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

Okay, as if my huge headache wasn't enough, I found Gilbert Beilschmidt arguing with Roderich Edelstein in the third-floor foyer, while Elizabeta Héderváry was screaming her lungs out as she flung herself between the two to stop them. Okay, tell me why they have to be this crazy when I'm around.

"What is this all about, Mr Edelstein, Mr Beilschmidt, and Miss Héderváry?" I said loudly to announce my arrival. Gilbert looked at me with something like exasperation on his face, his fist suspended a mere inch from Roderich's face.

"Mr Beilschmidt, do you want to experience immediate dismissal from the campus for fighting?" I snapped with an authoritative air, glaring back at him. His eyes narrowed, his reddish violet irises turning into slits.

"I don't mind. Just let me bash this little aristocrat's perfect little sissy face first before you turn me in."

"_Bruder_!"

Ludwig stood at the other end of the hallway, his blue eyes furious. "Stop this nonsense now!"

"No way in hell, Luffie," Gilbert growled, his hold on the neck of Roderich's shirt getting tighter. Elizabeta screamed furiously again, her own hands balling into fists.

I started forward. "Gilbert, bloody fuck off Roderich or I'll—!"

"Arthur—!" Elizabeta screamed.

* * *

><p>[<em>Ogiku<em>]

Alfred was eerily silent all the way up the staircase to my floor and up until we entered my room. I didn't really notice him since he had a really terrible tendency to space out while doing something. It's a bit dangerous when going up the stairs, but duh. I wasn't the one who will tumble off the stairs if he tripped because of his spacing out.

"Hey. Damn it. Inu-kun." I noticed him still spacing out after taking my things from him and stashing them under my bed. I snapped my fingers in front of his dazed eyes.

"Oh!" Alfred blinked. Finally. "Sorry. I was thinking."

"Really? So that means that if you think about something, it'll occupy all of your concentration?" I grimaced. "That's not good."

"That's not true!" Alfred protested. I gave him a roll of my eyes. "I was just… never mind."

"Hm," I threw him a Look. To be specific, Honda Kiku's X-ray Look. I practiced that look on the mirror quite a few times, really. When Kiku-chan uses that look on me, it makes me quail. He's the only person I've ever feared in my life. He's even scarier than Ivan Braginski if you get on the wrong side of him. Wait, why am I mentioning Ivan Braginski all of a sudden? He's a total jackass.

He looked creeped out when I did that. Hah. "Hey! Stop that!" he cried, scowling and dropping his head. He looked a bit… irritated? "It reminds me of him. Don't do that."

I was instantly incensed by his fucking reaction, because I didn't like seeing mopers. Totally. Once in my childhood, I actually smacked Yao on the forehead because of his moping over his fucking withered camellias. Of course, that didn't improve anything between us. But quit thinking about him too. Or else I'll totally vent my irritation out on this poor dog in front of me.

"Whatever. Just…" I let out a shaking breath. "Look at me, dammit." Fuck you, smile already. Or else I'll kick your ass to the era of World War Two and let Japanese soldiers bayonet you like nobody's business. Reminds me that I don't like bayonets. They're too messy to use. Not that I've actually used them in my life. I'm more refined than that. "Oi! Mo-_shi_—mo-_shi_? Earth to Alfred?" I used the exaggerated form of "moshi moshi". It truly emphasizes the meaning of "hello".

He looked up at me, still scowling. "What. It's true."

"Smile…" I told him in a coaxing tone. I'm a sucker for depressed people. Makes me want to comfort them. Oops, why did I tell you that?

"Tch." He still had a pout.

"Please?" I sat on the bed and looked up at him. Why did westerners have to be this tall? "I can't stand the sight of pouting people."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Um, maybe just one thing will make me smile."

"What's that?" I asked warily.

He shrugged nonchalantly, but I swore I saw mischief lurking on his eyes. "A hug from you?"

I was dumbstruck. What the hell. Did I fall on his trap? "You want a hug? I was right! You_ are_ a pervert!" Shit, I was glad Kiku didn't hook up with this guy, or he might have molested my twin brother nonstop—!

"Nah, 'm'not!" he protested, his expression turning into that of a pleading puppy-dog's. Okay. Do not make that face in front of me because I'll give in. And then that's the time that you can consider me falling on his trap. "Pleeease, 'coz that's what I need right now, and I can't ask anyone else…"

"O-okay—?" I hesitantly replied, but inside my head I was already killing myself for saying fucking "yes" to his request, with the aid of all kinds of bizarre objects. Wait, I didn't know that I can kill my inner self in a hundred gross ways. Maybe Kiku's right, I am really possessed by a kitsune. In other words, gone mad. "But—"

He had his arms around me in a second, the force knocking me sprawling to the bed with him. I was trembling under his weight (yeah, can still move, although I was limited to that. Why didn't anyone warn me that he weighs as much as a whale does? Reminds me that I'll have to go get my harpoon after this), and adrenaline coursing hyperactively in my body. Reminds me that I'm a little touchy about touching. Gah. Fuck him, I can't breathe. I fell in his trap!

"Alfred Jones!" I said in a shocked voice. "I gave you permission to hug me, not to press me flat like bread for panini!" Okay, I mentioned something about food. Bad move. I'm hungry again. I want a panini. Right now! "Oi!"

He released me, but he still remained on top of me. "You're not blushing?" He even looked a bit disappointed. I suddenly had to suppress the desire to deck him. Stupid idiot. No, calling Alfred a stupid idiot is not considered as a redundancy, because it's true. He's surpassed the boundaries of idiocy. He's a super idiot!

I gave him a sarcastic smile. "I tried to tell you this before, but I'm actually not Kiku! Sorry to tell you that you grabbed the wrong guy to hit on!" I rolled my eyes. "And I'm doubly sorry for being impolite, but honestly? You should consider sumo wrestling as a future sport! You're squishing the life out of me!"

"Oh, wow, sorry 'bout that!" he said, finally laughing and getting off from above me. Kami-sama. Are the heavens trying to kill me? Is my bad karma acting up? Okay! I'm sorry for all my sins! Just don't turn me into a cockroach in my next life, please? That'll suck.

"Okay, all better?" I said stiffly as he laid his upper body back down on my bed, his legs dangling down on the side and onto the floor.  
>"Yeah. But I want to see you blush." He sighed. "You're so unlike Kiku, after all." He stared at me owlishly. He didn't look that mopey to me anymore.<p>

"I can't blush," I told him bluntly.

He chuckled. "That's not true, of course all people can blush!" Then he smiled mischievously. "If I kiss you, will that make you blush?"

"If you kiss me?" I thought for a moment, then stole a leaf out of Xiao Chun's book. "You won't see me blush if you did, because I would have been strangling you by then."

He laughed. I hate to admit it, but he does look and sound good when he does. Eh. And he has a very shallow sense of humor, too. He laughs at every little thing. "Then let's try!"

"_Ecchi_." I rolled my eyes. Then, to my surprise, he shot up and pecked me on the cheek. I looked at him with a glare that could've killed him if he wasn't so oblivious.

"You really can't blush," he remarked, laughing. "Hell, you're even doing quite the opposite!" I was as pale as a slice of radish with extreme rage at what he did.

"You did that just to see me blush? Ahondara ya de!" My hands were itching to put themselves around his throat and choke him to death. I was so angry that I began slipping into a weird mix of Japanese and Chinese curses.

He sniggered a lot when he heard me curse him in Chinese. I frankly didn't know what possessed him. He would have been sober if he knew that I was telling him to go fuck himself in Chinese. "Chill, dude. I'm sorry, 'kay? And I don't get why you're so touchy." He sniggered again. "After all, it was just a freaking peck! On the cheek!"

"Fuck you," I said waspishly. "I don't let anybody touch me, more so kiss me!" I rumpled my hair frustratedly (Kiku would have been horrified to see me at that moment) when he snickered again. "And don't forget your place! Even if it's already my last day of ownership over you, it's still MY ownership over you! Dogs don't kiss their owners like that!"

"No they don't," he said, nodding. "They lick 'em on the face, so it's better to give you a nice hug and a peck on the cheek than a lick. Right?"  
>I shuddered. "Right." <em>Touché<em>. Then I remembered that I was hungry, so I sat up and pulled at his arm. "Hey, let's grab something to eat downstairs."

"Huh? You're hungry?" He sat up too and rubbed his hair. "Nice. I would have thought that your outrageously big lunch earlier would have filled you up! And fuck, I hate to say this, but you practically snagged half of my sandwich and a quarter of Kiku's rice! I practically thought you were signed up for a marathon! You ate a lot of carbohydrates!"

"Ha. I'll quote Ginny Weasley here and tell you that you're a filthy hypocrite." I pulled him out into the hallway. "And I didn't hog half of your sandwich, little liar! I just took a freaking bite!"

"Cool, you also read Harry Potter? And that was a big bite!" he argued loudly, but I paid him no heed and began to drag him downstairs.

* * *

><p>[<em>Arthur<em>]

I sent Ludwig to accompany Gilbert and Roderich to the principal's office and Elizabeta, amid her protests, to her dormitory. I was dog-tired. Luckily, Gilbert hadn't had the chance to shove his fist in Roderich's face before Ludwig and I can restrain him, or it would have spelled certain trouble.

"¡_Hola_, Arthur!" Antonio raised a hand at me. I shot him a nasty look saying that I wasn't in the mood to bicker with him about another moronic subject. I even flipped him off. He didn't get either of the gestures. God, was it pure coincidence that two people who can't even read the atmosphere stay in the same school? Just my luck.

He still persisted on calling my attention to him when I did the flip off. "_Hoy_! Arthur!"

"Hullo." I kept walking on to my way, but he seized me and grinned.

"Why so cold, Arthur?" he said with a goodnatured poke at my ribs. I didn't appreciate the friendly gesture. I just wanted to go to my room and drop on my bed to have a good nap. If Alfred wasn't there, that is.

"What do you want?" I asked with some irritation. "I haven't the time to waste with Spanish bastards like you."

"That's harsh, Arthur, man," he pouted. Then he brightened up again. "It's the end of the term next week. What're your plans for summer break?"

I shrugged. "Haven't made any yet. Probably I'll just spend the whole four weeks of summer break moping in our house back in Cambridgeshire. Nothing exciting."

"D'you want to join us in our end-of-term celebration next Saturday?" Antonio exclaimed. "It'll be fun!"

I grimaced. "I'll think about it first. My schedule is still going to be active in the weekend immediately after the examinations."

Antonio snorted. "Aren't they making you work a little too much?"

"There's the Summer Festival next month," I pointed out. "I have to arrange for all the needed provisions and equipment necessary so that there won't be last minute hassles. Unlike Francis, I did not run for the student council president position for just the prestige."

"I credit you for the passion, _amigo_," Antonio said, shaking his head, but he was smiling. "Let me know if you'll be free, then. It's alright if you couldn't make it. You can't help it."

"Okay. I'll go now." I started in the direction of the dormitories, totally worn out.

"See you!"

* * *

><p>[<em>Ogiku<em>]

We dropped by a nearby fast food restaurant. Alfred jokingly bought me a triple cheeseburger and a super-sized soda, but I didn't mind. It makes eating go a bit more slowly for me.

"Is it good?" he asked me as we sat down at a vacant table to eat. He had ordered three TLC burgers, a macaroni salad, and a super-sized soda.

I merely nodded once and proceeded to continue taking small bites out of my burger, my eyes traveling on the scenery outside as the afternoon wore on. Cars were breezing on the road, and a lot of people walked by and passed each other without any second glances at each other. I wonder if they knew that passing each other is marked down in their destinies even before they had passed each other.

Suddenly, rain began to fall. Alfred's eyes widened.

"What the fuck!" he exclaimed, but he was grinning at me, with a look in his eyes that clearly said, "Again?"

I returned his smile. Indeed. Is this destiny too? To be outside together with this guy while the rain is pouring, three times in two months?

Wait. Don't answer.

* * *

><p>[<em>Alfred<em>]

The rain was actually pretty nice. I kept sneaking looks at Ogiku, who was impassively watching the street outside while eating. His narrow glasses again reflected the scenery outside. His dark eyes were pensive and dreamy.

I wasn't afraid of being caught gawking at him, since my mind was wandering and thinking about how those deep eyes can express a myriad of subtle expressions all at once. His lips hung in a relaxed curve, and I realized that he was smiling. His smile was very slight, but he was still smiling, right? That's what matters. Er, wait…

"Pst. Ogiku."

He turned to look at me. "What?"

I smirked and mouthed, '_You have dressing on your lip_.' He smiled and raised his eyebrow, wordlessly asking me, '_Where, Inu-kun_?'

It frightens me how much I've learned on trying to read from his expressions. But maybe he's just that kind of person. He was too easy to read unless he intentionally hides his emotions. Exact opposite of Kiku, really.

In response to his unspoken question, I traced my finger on the top of my upper lip. He grabbed a paper napkin from the tray discarded on the seat between us and wiped it neatly, slender pale fingers gracefully exhibiting each little movement. I guess his careful movements were trained by years of wearing clothes with long trailing sleeves.

_Stop staring, Alfred. He already thinks that you're a perv._

But he's too cute to resist staring at him. He's got all those weird mannerisms that I've never noticed before in the thirty days we've been master and dog. Like how he always uses both of his hands to hold his soda cup while drinking. And the way he took modest bites out of his food even though I knew that his inner demon was wanting to gobble it all up already. And the way he—

"Inu-kun."

I started and glanced in his eyes. They looked a bit amused. And they were directed at _me_.

"Er, what—?"

"D'you want to say something? You look as if you're concentrating on my movements real hard."

_Blast_! I shrugged sheepishly. "Um…"

He cocked an eye at me. "Are you perhaps wondering again about how similar I am to Kiku-chan?"

I laughed. "Quite the opposite. I was wondering how different you are from Kiku. Kiku Honda is a stoic topnotch perfectionist in class with an IQ of 200 while Ogiku Honda is an absolutely impulsive freeloader who kills unhesitatingly and expresses his feelings in very unusual ways."

He frowned thoughtfully. "I'm not a freeloader, bastard. And I do not kill unhesitatingly. For example, I'm refraining from killing you now."

I laughed harder. "Like you'd expect me to believe those. And absolute evidence about your freeloading: I almost shelled out my money on your meal this afternoon."

He grinned. "It's not my fault if food here is a lot more expensive. Duh." He blew a raspberry at me. "There goes Jughead Jones on you."

I grinned back. "Shut up, Japanese kid."

"But as a matter of fact, Japanese yen is really down in the foreign exchange today, you know." Ogiku took off his glasses and set them down beside his cup. "You have to possess roughly eighty yen so that you can exchange it for just one little dollar." He frowned thoughtfully at the burger he was holding. He had already burrowed his path in it halfway through.

I grimaced. "Don't get me started on money and math. My head'll hurt."

Ogiku let out a low laugh. "Try living in Tokyo, Inu-kun, and everything will look like money and numbers to you." Then he sighed. "Today, a kid has to have a cellphone, a music player, a gaming console, a computer with Internet connection, and a big allowance to be able to cope with everyday life."

We finally finished up our meal, but the rain was still pouring. We watched, or rather he watched the rainwater slide down the glass while I continued watching him. I noticed Ogiku's eyes slowly sliding out of focus.

"Hey. We can't stay here forever." I checked my watch. "We'll get shut out from campus."

He sighed. "Are we going to take a walk in the rain?"

I grinned. "Why not? It'll be fun. The day was so warm earlier. And suggestion, can we 'walk' walk? Not 'run' walk? It's nice to be washed by the rain once in a while."

He stood up and put his glasses in his pocket. "Then let's go, Inu-kun. And we'll 'walk' walk, too. Not 'run' walk. As you've so charmingly named it."  
>"Then it's cool, little master." We trooped out of the restaurant into the pouring rain. We were drenched in a matter of seconds, but we stuck to walking. The rain was really nice. It was as if we were being baptized again.<p>

"_O-kami-sama_. This rain is getting heavier, if I must say so myself." Ogiku put his hands in his pockets and whistled lightly.

"Ya don't say." I smiled at his whistling and grabbed his shoulder when the rain blurred my glasses further. "And it's messing with my eyesight too!"

"That's why I didn't wear my glasses again back in the restaurant, dolt." Ogiku then laced his fingers with mine and led me considerately through the streets to the Academy. "At least I can still see without them."

"That's harsh," I chuckled. All the while, I can feel his hand in mine. His skin was so nice to the touch. I gripped his hand tighter for reassurance that he was still there. He looked back at me, and I could have sworn that he was smiling. Even if I can't see clearly.

"We're nearly there, Inu-kun."

I chuckled again. "I know. I can sort of tell by the shape of the streets."

I heard his laughter through the sound of the rain. "You're pitifully myopic, dear one."

"Don't you rub it in, master."

I knew it. I knew I had fallen for that smile for a very long time already. I just didn't know when exactly. Maybe I just didn't realize it at first.

* * *

><p>[<em>Kiku<em>]

Tomorrow is going to be the day that we are going to perform our Asian Dance end-of-term project. The days are so fast.

Ogiku was a special exception and had no partner since he enrolled later, but I knew he could pull off a nice dance even if he was alone. He can dance almost as nicely as he can choke me with the sleeves of my own kimono.

No don't think about that. But well, he could. Really.

The rain had come again.

* * *

><p>[<em>Ogiku<em>]

Night fell quickly. After a light dinner, I had continued on writing the poem in my room. It was getting longer. And longer.

_Rain-drenched hair brings back memories_  
><em>I stand alone, shuddering, dragging up trivial memories<em>  
><em>Follow it and it will flee, flee and it will follow, the war goes on inexorably<em>  
><em>Never again will I be deceived by sugarcoated words<em>

I hope that this will be finished soon so that Kiku can read it already. Because with every moment that passed, with every breath I take, and with every thump of my heart, my time is running out.

Well, I admit that all of our times are running out too minute by minute. But I must think that my time is much shorter.

I just can't think of why that may be the case. I just felt it. When I saw Alfred's bright blue eyes… somehow… I felt very lucky to have met someone who possessed such very alive eyes.

_I ro ha ni ho he to, chi ri nu ru wo_. The lines echo again in my head.

Kiku-chan, you know what I'm talking about, right? Every chrysanthemum that blossoms soon fades. I believe I've already told you that. You will never fade before I do. As long as you love and are loved, you will never fade.

* * *

><p>I saw that the time was already just a few minutes before twelve midnight, but my mind was still alert. I was still wide awake on my bed, listening to Vocaloid on Kiku's iPod. Kiku had amassed a goodly collection of songs like these somehow.<p>

Fuck. _The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku_ began pounding in my ears. Somehow, this made me feel very depressed.

"_Long ago, it was so jovial to sing, but I don't understand_…"

She was singing such a depressing song! I continued to listen, but somehow…

"_I don't feel anymore_…

"_I'm sorry_…

"_Whenever I remember your nostalgic face, the sounds I felt so comfortable with disappear_…"

Stop. Stop. Stop.

"_Such a weak heart that fails to scare away the phrase, existential reason_…

"_I'm withered by a force that stops the destruction that eats away my fading fear_…

"_A painful and sad version of your face surfaces in my mind_…

"_I can't believe my memories disappear too, but I won't forget you_…"

My heart was wandering out of the window. Kiku-chan, why did you have to download this… this song…

"_Every time I wish for a miracle, I get denied_…

"_I'm sorry_…

"_Whenever I remember your sweet face, I hear the sound of tearing breaking memories_…

"_Heart-groping, the oncoming end_…

"_The thing I protected was a light that showed me a bright future_…

"_If sacrificing my voice can let me tell you everything_…

"_I'm born, and I realize that in the end, I'm just an artificially constructed android, yet also an eternal life that sings_…

"_I sing my last song that I want only you to hear_…

"_Want you to hear more of, I wish, but that is a past wish_…

"_This is where I leave_…

"_My feelings vanish_…

"_I might be regretting my not being able to leave anything for you?_

"_Everything besides the memories of my voice fades, and only the name remains_.

"_Even if that is a wish that cannot be granted to humans_…

"_I want to believe that my singing wasn't in vain_…

"_Thank you… and goodbye_…"

Hatsune Miku, please stop messing with my head. I'm fucking tearing up.

And because this is my life, someone suddenly chose to pound hard on my door as _Last Night, Good Night_ replaced _The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku_.

Who'd think to knock at this time of night? Or day? Or whatever? I checked my clock. _12:02 am_. What the _fuck_? I turned on the lamp beside my bed and glanced anxiously at my roommate. He still looked out, though. I hoped that he would stay that way as another set of hammer blows pounded the door. I winced at the noise.

I had a shrewd idea of who this was. I'll fucking give him a piece of my mind.

I treaded my way to the door and opened it with just a crack's width. I glared up and sure enough, Alfred Jones's astonishingly blue eyes looked back at me with a bit of a surprise. He glanced at my earplugs with amusement. I tore one out of my ear and opened the door wider.

"I didn't expect that you'd be still awake." He looked a bit sheepish. "You can't sleep as well?"

I snuck another glance at my roommate. Still blissfully asleep. I turned my attention to Alfred. "What are you fucking doing here?" I hissed at him with irritation. "Someone might hear or see you, dammit! And you went here to wake me up? The hell are you doing that!"

"I just wanted to check something. I dunno if this'll work, but I have to see."

"—What?" I shot him a weirded-out look. "Did you eat something that disagreed with you?"

"You're not my master now, right?" he asked with a grin.

"Technically, no. Why, d'you want another month of following me around?"

"I wouldn't mind following you," he said in a really sincere-sounding voice.

"Don't try me, Alfred-_san_," I said, emphasizing the suffix.

"You're as impossible as Kiku when it comes to names," he sighed.

"Okay!" I growled in a whisper. "Spit it out! What are you doing here! And give me neither a stupid answer nor an half-assed one, or you'll get it!"

"Okay!" he held up his arms. "Gosh, you're like the freaking police!"

I grabbed the neck of his shirt and pulled his face closer to mine until we were almost touching noses. Nicely done. "Spill. The. _Fucking_. Beans."

He smiled really nicely. "As you wish." Then he suddenly closed the little gap between our faces and planted a kiss on my lips.

My hands had flared up in alarm and was resting on his shoulders. My first instinct was to pull away and curse loudly, but as if in anticipation, his arms looped around me and held me tight to him. We were practically like two pieces of paper glued together.

He pulled away from the kiss, but he was still hugging me tightly. "What do you think?" he whispered breathlessly in my ear.

"I'm thinking of decking you after you release me," I said just as breathlessly. "Fucked up… job…"

"I don't just _like_ you, dammit." Alfred was still resting his head against mine. My heart was thumping wildly. "I _love_ you."

"The hell you love me, bastard…" I whispered, my hands dropping like unresisting stones down my sides. He grinned against my ear. I then knew that he'd won over me. Fuck… stop beating _anxiously_, treacherous heart… you're _betraying_ me now, dammit… _you_, you normally cold, _malevolent_ heart…

"Of course I love you!" he said insistently in my ear. It tickled me. "You made me realize that there's always a second chance for everything!"

He released me slowly and glanced nervously at my roommate, who was still sleeping. Then he warily glanced at me as if he was still expecting my promise of decking him after the hug. Idiot. Stupid idiot! I suddenly felt the need to cry.

"Ogiku, are you crying?" Alfred asked with some alarm, as he watched my face.

"I'm actually crying? Shit," I said absently. I felt both of my cheeks. Yeah, I was. I just didn't notice because I just let tears drop when crying. I don't really scrunch my face when I'm emoting. Xiao Chun learned that from me.

"All right?" he asked me gently. Tell me, how could Alfred Jones look so concerned?

"Okay," I said shortly, then sternly looked up at him. "Tell me. Is this a joke?"

"Nope!" he answered quite cheerfully, but he still looked perturbed by my tears.

I rumpled my bangs confusedly. How would you react if someone like him confesses?

"I'll just… just…" I sighed. "Fine. I… ah, _shit_!" I'm tongue-tied. My body felt so weirdly warm.

"Ya don't need to answer, really," he said with a smile. "Your face is answering for you. Look, you're blushing!" He laughed softly and punched the air. "Mission accomplished!"

I was annoyed. Is he playing me? "Fuck off!" I made as if to usher him off to the hallway, but he grabbed my arms to stop me, a wide grin plastered on his face.

"I'm serious, dude!" he said, even as his face was cracking up because of the grin.

I rolled my eyes. "I could _totally_ see that!"

"Sorry, I'm laughing because you were blushing, not because I'm not serious…" He let out a laugh. "You're so cute!"

I instantly grabbed his ear and pulled it hard, annoyed. "Take that back, bastard!"

"Ow!" He detached my hand from his ear, still grinning. "But whatever. I still love you, even if I'm just an idiot dog and you're a coldblooded killing machine. I love you!"

"Okay! Okay!" I just noticed my roommate stirring a bit. "Just… okay! I know now! You don't have to repeat it! Go back before you wake someone up!"

I ushered him out of my room. He grabbed my arm persistently.

"What?" I snarled under my breath.

"Aren't you going to say anything else?" Alfred persisted.

I dropped the snarl. He looked so hopelessly hopeful that I wanted to smack myself. "You're really a stupid dog. But…" I raised my voice, since he looked depressed. "…you're _my_ stupid dog. So I guess…"

"For real?" he exclaimed. I started. He was getting too noisy. "That's enough! That's enough for me already!"

"Desperate bastard," I muttered under my breath. Then I sighed and smiled at him tentatively. "Go back to bed… There's still classes tomorrow…" Then, as an afterthought, I tacked to the end of the sentence, "…Inu-kun."

He grinned widely. It was almost worth it to say those words to him just to see that sunny smile again. "Cool… G'night, then…"

I nodded, slowly closed the door, and leaned my back against it with a dreamy smile tugging at my lips. I heard my heart thud erratically and nonstop while World is mine played in the remaining earplug in my left ear. I smiled.

The world might not be mine, but I had acquired someone worth a thousand of them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN2: Cheesy ending is cheesy. Shoot me.**

**Next chapter is the end of the first term and the end of the War of the Flowers arc! It's also the introduction to the short character arc for Ogiku/Júhuā entitled the Black Chrysanthemum's Memories. I've adjusted the number of arcs and now there'll be a new arc inserted between the Black Chrysanthemum's Memories and the last arc. Confused? I'll list the arcs here:**

_**1st Arc**__: Black Chrysanthemum  
><em>_**2nd Arc**__: War of the Flowers  
><em>_**Sub-Arc**__: Black Chrysanthemum's Memories  
><em>_**3rd Arc**__: Golden Chrysanthemum  
><em>_**4th Arc**__: White Chrysanthemum (__**last arc**__)_

** There'll be an epilogue for this story… meh. **


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